Google reviews have become an integral part of consumer research in the last few years. Research shows that almost 80% of consumers will include Googl
Google reviews have become an integral part of consumer research in the last few years. Research shows that almost 80% of consumers will include Google reviews as part of their purchasing decision making the process. Just about the same number trusts these reviews as a direct reflection of a company’s reputation. Here are some of the things prospective clients should look for to know about a company.
1. Number of Reviews
If you enter a search query such as ‘dental clinics in Toronto’ on Google, the top most result is likely to be the one with the highest number of reviews. This is the first indicator of a company’s social reputation. Depending on when competing companies started their operations, the company with the most reviews generally means it either has handled a lot of clients, or it encourages customer reviews. Both of these factors vouch for a company’s experience and client-centric culture. Another thing to look for is the frequency and the diversity of the reviews. How many reviews does the company receive in a day or a week? From how many different sources does the company receive its reviews? These pointers will guide a client towards the most experienced company. If a dental clinic in Toronto has over 1000 reviews, and 90% of them are positive, then it is safe to say that the clinic is trustworthy.
2. Response to Feedback
The two things to look at is whether a company responds to feedback at all, and/or how it responds to the said feedback. The point of companies encouraging Google reviews is to receive customer-based feedback. If a company does not bother to respond to the reviews, whether positive or negative, then it speaks to its customer service. A company that replies to reviews shows the intention of building a relationship with the said client. In the event, the company responds to the reviews, check the approach and language used. Does the company appreciate the client’s reviews? Does the company know how to handle criticism? In the event of negative reviews, does it acknowledge, address and promise to improve on the said issues? These are some of the things that will give insight into how much value a company places on its client’s experience.
3. Content of the Reviews.
For the most part, clients will always be brutally honest while reviewing a company. Therefore, the details in the Google reviews will tell you several things about a company:
Quality of Products/ Services
Most reviews will mention the overall quality of services and sometimes even get into specifics. For instance, if one was to search ‘team building events’, it is likely that clients who have worked with a specific team building company before will mention how the experience was. They could suggest that they loved the variety of team building activities they were provided, the number of team building facilitators, the perceived expertise of the facilitators, the quality of accommodation, food and security provided, etc..
Customer Relations
Clients will almost always comment on how they were handled in a company. Did the company observe time during appointments? Were thereafter sales-services mentioned? If for instance, one was interested in booking an appointment in a dental clinic in Toronto, do clients mention how convenient or inconvenient the booking and payment process is? How did the staff interact with the clients? They might even be specific enough to mention the staff, for instance, ‘Matt is such a friendly and accommodating person.’ If the reviews show that a company is customer-centric, then a client will likely enjoy his/her experience there.
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