What do you do when your home services business receives a negative review?
Maybe you respond as quickly as possible to try and satisfy the customer. You might even attempt to delete the review depending on its nature (for example, maybe it's a fake review).
But what about when your business receives a positive review?
You may think to yourself, “Nice!” and then move on with your day. However, you should also acknowledge your best online reviews.
In this blog post, we’ll explain the importance of engaging with a positive review - even those that give you a five-star rating.
5 Star Review
Five-star reviews are every business’ goal. They mean a customer wouldn’t change one thing about their experience with your company/brand - which is why it’s important to engage with these positive reviews.
Why Respond to 5-Star Reviews?
Interacting with positive reviews can help deepen the relationship between your brand and customers. It increases your chances of continuing to delight those customers with a positive customer experience and turn them into loyal brand advocates. This type of interaction also shows potential customers that they can trust you - which is especially important in the home services industry where reputation is everything.
Responding to both positive and negative reviews can also give local businesses a boost on the search engine results page (SERP). Search engines, like Google, use reviews as a way to rank search results for certain keywords. In fact, reviews account for more than 15% of how Google ranks a local business.
How Do You Respond to a 5-Star Review?
Now you may be wondering how to make sure your responses are sufficient. The wrong response could backfire and leave a customer with a negative impression of your business, even if their review started out as a positive one.
Whether you’re responding on Yelp, Google, Facebook, Angie’s List, Thumbtack, or another platform, there are a few key strategies you can take. Here are the top three tips to keep in mind when you're responding to a five-star review.
1. Personalize the response.
Customers always want to feel like they’re being spoken to by a real person rather than a bot. They also want to feel like you’re speaking directly to them. Avoid automating your responses and stay away from reusable, generic messages. Instead, address a customer by name (assuming the review isn’t anonymous) and give them the authentic response they’re looking for. This will also help you represent your brand positively and improve your online reputation.
2. Start by thanking the reviewer.
All it really takes is a quick “thank you” to show your appreciation. While a customer is thanking you for a memorable experience with your brand, giving them a “thank you” in return can go a long way when it comes to delight and loyalty. Stress how much their positive review means to you and your business.
3. Reference specific points in their review.
Even if you’re taking steps to make each message unique, review responses can become repetitive. To show every customer you’re reading their review and giving their feedback the individual attention it deserves, reference specific points they made in their positive review. For example, if they mentioned the fact that they liked a certain part of your service, call it out in your response.
This is also a great chance to mention any keywords specific to that service for potential customers to read about, so Google can surface your business when people are searching for services similar to those that you offer.
Positive Review Response Examples [Templates]
We’ve gathered a list of some example responses you might use as inspiration. These templates are just a starting point. Don’t be afraid to add your personal touch or adjust them as needed.
1. Quick-Hit Responses
Sometimes, a customer doesn’t offer much detail in their review. In some cases, they won’t leave a comment at all - their review is simply five stars.
In these cases, the best thing you can do is express gratitude while keeping things brief.
For example:
- “Thank you for sharing your rating with us! We hope to see you again soon.”
- “Thanks so much for taking the time to leave us a rating. We appreciate your business and would love to work with you again.”
- “We appreciate you sharing your rating with us. Please let us know what we can do to help you in the future.”
- “Thank you so much for your five-star rating - we’ll share this with the team and let them know to keep up the good work.”
2. Personalized Responses
If the customer offers more detail about their experiences, offer a personalized response. This entails using the reviewer’s first name and referencing their positive experience.
For example:
- “Thank you for the kind rating, (Name). We’re so happy that your visit at (Location) went so well!”
- “(Name), thank you so much for the positive rating. I’m happy to hear that your experience was a good one. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”
- “Hi (Name), thank you for your review! The team was thrilled to hear about your great experience and we’d love to see you again.”
- “Thank you so much for taking the time to offer feedback, (Name). We’re delighted to hear you rate our services so highly, as we strive to provide a five-star experience to all our customers. We look forward to seeing you again!”
3. Empathetic Responses
Another angle you can take when replying to a review is focusing on being as empathetic and personable as possible. For instance, if you helped the customer overcome a challenge, don’t be afraid to mention this in the review. A simple tweak in the wording will also make it clear that you’re here for them if they have any issues in the future.
For example:
- “(Name), thank you for the great review! We’re sorry you had such a hard time with your plumbing issue, but we’re glad that our services could help. We’re here if you need anything in the future!”
- “Hi (Name), it’s good to hear from you! Thank you for your kind review - we’d be happy to help again in the future if you ever need more support with (X project).”
4. Call-to-Action Responses
Responding to positive reviews is great, but an effective way to maximize your success is by working in a simple call-to-action (CTA). A CTA doesn’t need to be super obvious - for instance, a simple request for the customer to share their experiences with a friend is all you need.
For example:
- “Thank you for your kind words, (Name)! We’re so happy to hear that things went smoothly at (Location). For a discount on your next service, would you be willing to refer a friend who might benefit from an experience like yours? We’d love to keep providing top-notch services to the community.”
- “We appreciate your positive review, (Name). Thank you for trusting us with your (service)! If you have any friends or family who may need our services, feel free to pass along our name - we’d love to help. Thanks again!”
Let Scorpion Help You Manage Your Reviews
Even if customers are already happy with your service, review management is an essential part of fostering brand loyalty and awareness. It’s also a great way to manage your reputation online and move to the top of the local business rankings on Google. With a little attention to detail, authenticity, and gratitude, you’ll show your customers that you genuinely care about their feedback and appreciate their business.
At Scorpion we have the team and technology to bring all of your reputation monitoring into one spot. You can see your reviews come in and our team is there to help you respond in a way that will build a loyal customer base.
Let's talk about review management.Schedule a consultation. Talk To Us
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