Back in 2021, we sent out a survey to Canadian homeowners to better understand how reviews mattered in their hiring decisions. While we knew that they were necessary, the results showed that reviews had perhaps the most far-reaching effects on hiring decisions. The carefully crafted 20 questions were sent to 2,000 homeowners across the country and 98.8% of people said they read reviews between somewhat often and very often before hiring a pro. Additionally, 55% of respondents said they would read as many as 5 reviews before hiring and 75% of homeowners said, this number wouldn’t change even when the hiring needs were urgent. With such importance placed on reviews, it’s time to take a deeper look at them and understand everything about the same.
What Are HomeStars Reviews?
At HomeStars, we believe in empowering Canadian homeowners by connecting them with community-reviewed pros, to get the perfect match for their jobs at hand. A dedicated team at HomeStars manually goes through every review to ensure that they are authentic and meet our review guidelines. These measures are taken to ensure that homeowners feel safe and confident about hiring pros from HomeStars.
Why Are They Important?
As a platform, we took the word-of-mouth referral to a digital scale with community-reviewed listed pros. Thus, we place weightage on reviews as that can help you make better homeowner connections which can lead to more opportunities. Reviews play an important part in your Star Score, which the majority of homeowners look at before hiring. Moreover, as other homeowners look at recent reviews, it’s important to keep your profile updated with the latest project pictures along with the reviews.
How To Request Reviews?
Requesting reviews is as easy as clicking a button! With the new ‘Request a Review’ feature in your lead inbox on the HomeStars app and desktop site, you can simply click a button to ask for a new review. This will automatically pre-fill the form with your customer details and you can send it to them via text or email or both. You can read more about how to request a review, here.
Why Should You Respond To Reviews And How?
While maintaining your account and getting reviews is important, responding to them is also crucial as it can directly affect your Star Score. Responding to reviews is just as crucial as it shows that you are responsive and care about your customers, even after the job is done. People going through your profile will appreciate your timely responses and you can go the extra mile by showcasing how you follow up with previous clients.
How To Respond To Reviews?
You can respond to reviews by going to your profile on the HomeStars app or desktop and checking the reviews section to see all the reviews. Click on the one you want to respond to, type in your reply and click on ‘Publish’. Your reply will be live immediately and homeowners will be able to see your reply. There can be various types of reviews and we will share with you how to respond to them. While positive reviews look great on your profile as they are, you can make it even better. You can thank your customers and also mention the services you offered to reiterate the business specialties, which can help your business’s SEO. This is also an excellent opportunity to mention personal touches like thanking the customer for the great coffee or conversation, which really goes the extra mile in making your brand memorable.
A well thought out response can set you apart from the competition, boost SEO, and keep previous customers coming back. Ramp up your review responses today with these 5 tips.
1. Respond Promptly
Homeowners look forward to hearing from you! A 2018 report by The Local Search Association found that most consumers expect a response to their review within 24 hours. Not only is responding courteous, but it also shows you appreciate them taking the time to leave you a review.
2. Say Thank You!
Showing appreciation for customer reviews speaks volumes, and a simple “thank you” is a great place to start! Try addressing your customers by first name to personalize the response, e.g. “Thanks for taking the time out of your day to write this review, Pat!”.
3. Mention the Service(s) You Completed for the Homeowner
Reiterate what it was you completed for the homeowner in the response. This a great way to subtly market what you do, while impacting your search engine rankings for related key terms on Google. E.g., “We love your kitchen backsplash just as much as you do!”
4. Include Your Company Name and Service Area
Seize the opportunity to reinforce who you are and the areas you service. Even if you’re a team of one, reiterate your company name and build some brand recognition. This also boosts branded and local SEO for your page. Use this strategy as a sign-off, e.g. “The Stone Company in Toronto looks forward to working with you in the future”.
5. Share Something Unique or Memorable
Some projects may leave you working at a client’s home for days or months on end. Therefore, adding something unique like how much you loved their dogs, or how great their espressos were adds a personal touch that customers will appreciate.
How to Respond to Negative Reviews?
When people look online, they may scroll through the positive ones, but they are sure to pay more attention to the negative ones. While you may think it would look bad on your profile, it’s a good opportunity to showcase your brand responsibility. Use these occasions to go above and beyond expectations. There are specific ways to respond to negative reviews. Reach out to the customer and try to understand their problem and really put an effort into solving it. Acknowledging the problem and showing that you care about the customer, even after the work is done, is sure to leave a better impression. It tells future prospects that you care deeply about customer satisfaction. While receiving a negative review may seem like a setback for your business, it is an excellent opportunity to showcase your professionalism when dealing with conflict. Show empathy by apologizing, thank the reviewer for their feedback, and encourage them to reach out to you directly to rectify. This way, potential customers who read your response can see that you provide excellent customer service. Overall, a timely and genuine review response is a simple and effective way to show customer appreciation while giving future customers more of a reason to choose you!
Do’s And Don’ts of Reviews
Apart from the above, there are some best practices of reviews, that you should follow at all times. Responding on time helps your Star Score while leaving a lasting impression on the customer. You can also use gift cards or special deals to incentivize your customer to leave a review. On the other hand, hounding customers to leave a review, or asking family and friends to review your business is not encouraged and can lead to disqualification from the HomeStars Best of Award and also a lower Star Score.
Need more help on reviews? Do check out 6 common questions and answers on reviews!
If you have any more questions, you can get in touch with your Customer Success Manager!
