Think about the last time you shopped online. What information helped you narrow down your options?
For most shoppers, the answer is customer reviews. The experiences of past users play a major role in these daily buying decisions.
If your business already has many negative reviews, you may find this fact disheartening. But upside exists for shops that create an effective online review management strategy.
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Let’s consider why online customer reviews matter so much for auto repair shops.
Three reasons to actively manage your shop’s online reviews
1. Reviews show your business does well
Seems obvious, right? Unfortunately, many businesses overlook this point.
Take this example. Your auto repair shop currently has three Google reviews. That’s it. People can’t find online comments about your shop experience anywhere else.
Unfortunately, this lack of reviews sends a clear message. A prospective customer feels like your shop is too new. Even if that’s not true, they associate “new” with a lack of experience.
Findstack data backs this up. Businesses with at least 200 reviews generate twice as much revenue. For this reason, you need to actively request new reviews from your customers.
2. Reviews establish two-way customer communication
Let’s face it. Negative online customer reviews sting. But your shop won’t win more customers by turning these reactions off.
On the flip side, this move can create a negative perception. Prospective customers may feel you lack transparency.
To avoid earning this online reputation, give your customers every opportunity to leave reviews. Positive or negative, they will view you as a transparent shop. Additionally, customers will appreciate that you value their commentary.
3. Reviews show you are transparent and genuine
It’s easy to focus the full conversation on customer reviews. But what about your business’s response to them?
As part of your strategy, you need to check popular customer review sites like Google and Yelp. When a customer mentions their experience at your auto repair shop, take the time to write back.
Make the response thoughtful. If it’s positive feedback, thank them for the kind words. Some caution in this area, however: avoid generic responses. Customers won’t appreciate a note you copied and pasted.
To personalize your response, mention something specific about the person or their vehicle. For example, they may write about how fast your technicians were with an oil change. In your response back, express your appreciation for that compliment. But also mention the fact their vehicle’s like-new condition helped speed up the process.
Responding to happy customers’ comments is the easy part. But for negative feedback, you will need to use a different type of strategy.
How to deal with negative online customer reviews
Uh, oh. You received a negative review. Someone detailed the recent horror story they experienced at your shop. How should you respond?
Before you panic, take a deep breath. On one hand, their criticism may have some truth to it. In this case, take the time to reflect on how your team can improve. But even if the review crosses a line into not so friendly language, avoid the temptation to hurl insults back.
Regardless of what tone they use, maintain professionalism. Here are three tips to craft an appropriate response for negative customer reviews:
- Tip 1: Thank the reviewer for bringing their concerns to your attention
- Tip 2: Offer to chat about the issue with them in person (or over the phone)
- Tip 3: Mention the specific steps you will take to resolve the problem and ensure it won’t happen again
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Closing thoughts
As a shop owner, it’s important to focus on improving your business’s reputation. With more positive reviews, you can create a brand reputation that stands out from competing shops.
AutoLeap can help in this area. Our automated Google review tools help you generate more customer feedback online. As you continue to provide top-notch service, that means more five-star recognition!
We hope these insights help you craft a thoughtful strategy for auto repair online review management.
