Customer reviews play an important role in one’s purchasing decisions. Such online reviews from the customers are as powerful as ‘word of mouth’ in the world of direct marketing. As a result, businesses strive to achieve the best possible ratings from their customers. Although achieving a 5-star customer rating is next to impossible, the reality is that the average rating modulates as the number of customers grow. However, in this blog, we’re listing some of the tried and tested best practices that could help you get the best possible rating from the customers just like Gatello.

Prior to that, it would be fair to discuss the flip side of having a 5-star rating and how it impacts the brand image too. Customers tend to get suspicious about the organic nature of the customer reviews when you have 5-star for your offering. It is quite possible for them to perceive that those reviews are secured inorganically or through some SEO practices. Therefore, according to research conducted by GetApp, offerings with an average rating of 4.2 to 4.5 were the most influential and credible, thus attracting a bunch of new customers consistently. 

A brand’s transparency is demonstrated by a mix of positive and negative reviews, which may indicate that the reviews posted on your website are neither fraudulent or filtered. Some customers may even disregard brands or items with just five-star reviews in favour of a more authentic alternative. While it’s crucial to have a variety of star ratings, it is recommended of the marketers to pursue their efforts to secure the best customer reviews possible. Consider the following practices:

1. Be as responsive as you could: 

Provide numerous options for reading reviews, such as ranking them from most “useful” to least “helpful.” By doing so, your offerings, blog, and other marketing collaterals could make a positive impact on the reader. Customers are always responsive to a more personalised experience, so provide multiple options for potential customers to find the information they’d need. Make sure you respond to all the reviews, be it positive or negative. When readers see that you’re responsive, they’d feel empowered and you stand a chance to win them and secure a positive review for your offering.

2. Ensure comprehensive yet impactful content:

Another factor that influences buying decisions is the content of the reviews. In all the customer touchpoints like websites, mailers, collaterals etc, ensure comprehensiveness of the content. This would help customers understand what you offer and how well it fits their requirements. Such strategically placed content in these touchpoints creates a positive impact for your business among the customers. Even then, if you happen to get a bad review for your offering, know that it could positively influence the buying decision of someone else. What appears to be a bad review can motivate a purchase when people read the review to find out why the product received a specific rating and when they happen to read your response to it, they’d understand.

For example, a four-star rating instead of a five-star rating because the reviewer believes it’s “not the correct shade of red” could be just the message to persuade another buyer to buy.

3. Master the art of turning a negative review into an opportunity:

Let customers have access to all the feedback including the negative ones. While brands are looking for methods to improve their product or service offering, a rating of less than five stars proves their genuineness and be useful for making strategic decisions.

If you happen to get a negative review for your business, then consider it as an opportunity to learn where you’ve made a mistake. Get in touch with the customer, empathize with them for their inconvenience, acknowledge the fact that you weren’t able to meet their expectations and ask for a chance to make things right. Winning customers is not just about selling to them, it is all about taking them along with you as long as their association exists with your business.

In conclusion, secure a good rating for your business by following the above-discussed practices and feel free to add any that would benefit others.