But what if it didn’t have to be a frustrating struggle? With a few simple adjustments, your field technicians can easily generate regular feedback. Constructive online reviews can become assets for your business rather than headaches for your customers.
In this blog, we’ll go over 5 practical tactics to integrate online reviews into your field technicians’ routines. Instead of dread and desperation around reviews, you’ll cultivate open and rewarding dialogues between clients and technicians. But first…
Why online reviews matter for field service companies
Many business owners have made the mistake of believing that it’s better not to have any reviews than to have a negative one. Surely, it’s not good to have bad things said about your service. But it’s equally not good to not have anything said at all. Learn how to Handle Bad Customer Reviews.
Take a look at this illustration
A potential customer needs their air conditioner fixed. They go online and find three companies that can provide the service. One of these companies has thousands of positive reviews and five stars; the second one has more negative reviews than positive; and the last company has no reviews at all. Which do you think the customer would pick?
What about if the first company with the positive reviews is not existent, do you think the customer will choose a company that has no records of its existence?
Like it or not, online reviews are like a company’s digital word of mouth. They show potential customers what others think of your work, but most of all, they show that you exist. When there are positive reviews, of course, they help customers build trust in your service even without patronizing. But that’s not all. Here are some other reasons an online review matters so much:
- They help customers make an informed decision in your direction.
- They improve your search ranking because the more good reviews you have, the higher you’ll appear in search results, making it easier for potential customers to find you.
- They give you valuable feedback
- They’re a powerful tool that can help you attract new customers, boost your reputation, and ultimately grow your business.
That said, let’s look at the five actionable ways you can implement online reviews into your field service company
Empowering your technicians to encourage reviews
You cannot (and should not) write the reviews yourself. Neither can you ask customers who have never tried your service to write your reviews. However, what you can do is to equip your technicians with review request cards or QR codes they can leave with satisfied customers, hence fostering an online review. Note that these cards should include clear instructions on how to leave a review on your preferred platforms.
Additionally, if you wish to boost the responses, consider offering small rewards or recognition programs for technicians who consistently encourage reviews. But don’t forget to enlighten your technicians on the ‘why’ before the ‘how.’
Responding to and managing online reviews effectively
When you start to get some feedback, don’t just leave it unattended to. Respond to all reviews, regardless of whether or not it is positive. Ensure to thank happy customers for their feedback, and acknowledge any negative reviews promptly and professionally. Don’t be tempted to become defensive and engage in back and forth arguments over your online platforms because that’ll do the opposite of growth for your company.
Further, and if you can, show potential customers you care by outlining how you’ll address the issue mentioned in the negative review.
Utilizing reviews for SEO and online visibility
There are cases where companies already have tons of positive reviews but have yet to claim their businesses. This happens a lot for companies on Google My Business or Yelp. Ensure to go over all major business platforms and claim your profiles. This will give you access to any secondary reviews that come in through organic sources.
A little tip is to showcase positive reviews on your website and social media because people are naturally inclined toward social proof.
Integrating reviews into your customer service training
Besides all the things you need to do by yourself, also educate your customer service team on how to identify the opportunities to request reviews during customer interactions. That way, you’ll be optimizing every chance to get feedback. Similarly, delegate some tasks to your technicians and staff so that they too, can respond to online reviews, especially when positive feedback mentions specific technicians or goes the extra mile.
Monitoring and analyzing your online presence
Finally, remember to maintain your online presence. Regularly monitor review platforms to stay updated on what customers are saying about your services. The world has become more digitized, so that business owners do not need to be on-site 24/7. Take advantage of these online reputation management tools to track reviews across different platforms and streamline your response process. Automation tools are also a blessing, but they must be used carefully to avoid sounding repetitive or robotic.
For the best results, consider working with a full (all-in-one) field service management tool. Not only will you be able monitor your online reviews, but you can subscribe to a natural-sounding automated chatbot, two-way messaging, and general company management for the best results. A reputable field service management tool is Workiz (and there’s a free version!)
FAQs
It’s not widely known, but technicians can help get reviews faster than from the employer directly. The following ways are some tips to help.
- Train your technicians on how to have productive customer interaction that’ll foster a positive review.
- You can ask the customer to rate your service in private.
- Asking for feedback is also a great option.
- Create and provide your staff with review requests cards which they can hand out to only satisfied customers.
Everyone’s not the same and some of your staff might have a harder time soliciting online reviews. Here are the things to do during training:
- Engage in role-playing exercises by practicing different scenarios that’ll help make them feel more comfortable in real life scenarios.
- Instead of focusing on just the solicitation, also train your technicians on how to pursue customer satisfaction with proper interaction.
- Make them see the importance of asking for reviews and how it affects them.
The best platforms are those that reach your target audience, focus on your service area (whether local, regional, or international), and are popular with your industry sector. Therefore, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. However, there are some general (and important) platforms that embrace all niches and works for all target audiences. These platforms include Google My Business (essential for local businesses) and Yelp.
Monitoring and responding are two different things. To monitor, it’d be best to set up alerts or notifications for all the platforms your business is on so that you can be notified when a new review is posted. Using reputation management tools can also help ease the process of regularly checking key platforms for updates.
But when it comes to response, it’s recommended to respond quickly with a show of gratitude on positive reviews and a professional desire to resolve the problem for negative reviews. If you can, offer to take the conversation offline for a more detailed resolution.
While automation tools help a great deal, avoid generic responses and if you can, mention the customer’s name for a personalized reply.
Sure, there are! Some of them include:
- Awarding points or badges for every review request.
- Prizes and recognition for the technicians with the most reviews received or solicited.
- Highlighting technicians with exceptional review-generating performance in company newsletters, meetings, or on social media.
- Small bonuses or gift cards for those that set new targets.
- Providing higher rewards for technicians that box more detailed and positive reviews.
- Acknowledge and reward technicians who come up with creative ways of requesting reviews.
Online reviews are like a company’s front look. The reviews (quality and quantity) determine, to a large extent, whether or not the company will experience an inflow of new customers. But how?
- Positive reviews act like social proof since they serve as recommendations from past customers, building trust and credibility with potential customers who may be unfamiliar with your company.
- Reviews address customer concerns, as customers often mention specific issues they faced and how your technicians resolved them. This transparency can alleviate potential customer concerns and increase confidence in choosing your services.
- Companies with numerous positive reviews tend to appear higher in search results, making it easier for potential customers to find them when searching for services in your area.
- Positive reviews on local platforms like Google My Business and Yelp specifically can significantly boost your local search engine optimization, making your company more visible to potential customers searching for services in your service area.
- Potential customers can read about the quality of your work, professionalism of your technicians, and overall customer satisfaction. This detailed information helps them make informed decisions when choosing a company.
- Customers often mention positive aspects of their experience, highlighting specific strengths of your company and technicians. This can attract customers seeking similar qualities in a field service provider.
Reviews do not only have to be about the company directly. It can also be structured to promote the technician and their abilities. You can do that by:
- Encouraging specific mentions, preferably by name and the service provided.
- While this is optional, you could also create individual profiles for your staff which show their specialties, certifications, positive review excerpts mentioning their names, and even pictures, further personalizing the experience and highlighting their expertise
- While responding to positive reviews, you could mention the technician’s name, expressing appreciation for the staff’s hard work and expertise.
