Did you know nine out of ten consumers worldwide read reviews before buying products? And, 76 percent of consumers say they trust the reviews they read online as much as personal recommendations.
Based on this research, it’s safe to say that how people talk about you online, and how you respond plays a leading role in customer acquisition.
Since online reviews are critical to the health of your brand, it’s essential to have a way to capture, review, and quickly respond to all of your online reviews. The pressing question for many business owners is, with all the different types of reputation management tools available, what is the best option?
If you are a brick-and-mortar brand that is working to attract local foot traffic, improve brand recognition, and boost customer loyalty, then a full-service review software has the most advantages.
This post will look at the two main types of review software, standard review software, and full-service review software, and explain why full-service review software is better for brick and mortar retailers.
What is standard review software?
A standard review software program is an intelligent tool that helps companies connect all review sites into one dashboard. Standard review software programs use AI to help businesses track and monitor online reviews.
The drawback of standard review software is that it’s largely an automated data compiler and lacks a personal touch.
In other words, standard review software doesn’t come with a trained, professional reputation management team, offering dedicated and individualized support whenever you get a bad review.
What is full-service review software?
A full-service review software is an online review monitoring and response management software that, just like standard review software, captures online review data and brings it into one, convenient dashboard.
Full-service review software makes it possible for brands to monitor reviews across social media networks and business directories, elicit customer feedback, and leverage review data. Plus, it offers professional and personalized response services from actual humans.
Let’s take a closer look at why full-service review software is a better bet for brick and mortar stores.
Benefits of full-service review software
The top advantage of a full-service review software is best explained with a relatable anecdote.
Have you ever purchased a defective product and every time you contact the company, you’re dealing with a machine instead of a human? This is extremely frustrating and often you never even get your issue resolved.
As a frustrated and ignored customer, your last line of defense is to leave a negative review and cut your losses. But, if your review also goes unnoticed, it adds insult to injury and leaves a bad taste in your mouth for the brand.
It’s terrible when you have this experience as a consumer, but it’s even worse when you’re the business owner and your customers get ignored. Stats show that after one negative experience, 51% of customers will never do business with that company again.
The main benefit of a full-service review software is it captures all the advantages of artificial intelligence, but it also keeps the human element in the equation. When your customers need a personalized response from a human, they get a human, not a machine.
Here are the top benefits of full-service review software:
- Provides immediate customer service. The second your company gets an online review, you get an automated alert that lets your service team know it’s time to respond. You never have to worry about a bad review getting overlooked because you’ll always have someone available to respond.
- Controls your brand voice. As you are building your company, how you respond to customers online is critical. A full-service software provides a way for an empathetic human to respond to delicate situations, instead of a machine.
- Improves local SEO. The more positive reviews you capture, the higher Google will rank your website in the local SEO results. This leads to more customers visiting your store. Read more about why local SEO is important here.
- Boosts customer loyalty. Stats show that 95% of unsatisfied customers will return to a company if it manages to solve the issue quickly and efficiently. When you have a dedicated reputation management expert responding to reviews, your customer happiness levels improve.
Look into full-service review software and services today!
If you are looking to attract more local business, then you need a review software to help you manage your online reputation. But, not just any review software will provide the benefits you need to offer excellent customer service.
The best bet is to look into a full-service review software that offers all the benefits of AI as well as personalized human services. For more information about full-service review software, check out Let Us Respond today.