Not sure where to start with reviews online for your laundry business?

Reviews are an essential part of your digital presence, and it’s beneficial to give them your attention. They can lead to future sales – or misses – if left unattended and unaddressed.

This post will go through some actionable tips that help business owners increase their site’s visibility on popular reviewing platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and Facebook.

1. Respond to Current Reviews (Good or Bad)

No matter what, respond to reviews that are left on various platforms.

If it’s a positive review, this is an excellent chance to show that you’re attentive to your customers and their feedback.

If it’s a negative review, you now have the opportunity to act and make the most of it.

It’s recommended that you reply to a review in your business’s Google My Business page or Facebook profile with an explanation of what the customer experienced and how you responded appropriately (while still respecting privacy).

It’s essential that you respond as soon as possible to negative feedback so it doesn’t snowball into more complaints from other customers.

Try not to call out individual reviewers by name – as this can backfire and make them feel like they’re being attacked. Instead, focus on taking steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again for future customers.

In addition: you can also consider a third-party review management system if your company has multiple locations. One candidate is ReviewTrackers – it’s a relatively simple tool that will help you keep track of all reviews across various locations and sites.

2. Ask Customers for Feedback – Directly

You can also ask customers for feedback directly, either while they’re in your store or through an online message. This may be a more proactive approach to managing your online reviews, but it will require the most work of all these options.

In-store is the more personal approach. Simply greet your customers, interact with them, and ask them for feedback (you or employees). You can even set up QR codes inviting a review – a simple method that’s Covid-19 approved.

If you’re choosing an online option, create an email template with two or three questions that you think are important and regularly send it to your customers. It should essentially ask three questions:

1. “How was our service?” (customer experience)
2.  “What could we do better?” (what did they like/dislike about their experience?)
3. “Would you recommend us to friends, family, coworkers?” (would they take the time out of their day again for this company’s services?)

The goal is not just asking them if they would recommending using your business’ services – instead, get clear on what aspects need improvement.

3. Provide A Great Experience

Providing excellent customer service is a great way to get good reviews from your customers.

If someone has an experience that isn’t quite up to par, then they can (unfortunately) be highly motivated to go to review sites like Yelp and give you one star. It’s often easier to leave a poor review than a good one, and if a dryer takes too long or runs too hot – how you react to that complaint can make all the difference between getting positive ratings versus negative ones.

How do you ensure a universally positive experience, then?

Well, it starts with ensuring that your machines and business are running smoothly. Your service needs to shine!

From there, focus on the finer points of your customer experience. Make sure you communicate clear pricing information and avoid overcharging. Give out coupons and discounts if you have to help assuage an irate customer, but lead with a great experience first. If that doesn’t cut it, then you can pull out other methods to help ensure your reviews stay positive.

4. Invest in professional photos

I’ve recommended taking better photos for your marketing before (for things like Instagram), but it’s worth mentioning again. Invest in professional photos for your business if you haven’t already.

You may ask – why bring this up when it comes to reviews?

It’s actually fairly simple.

Customers are always skeptical about trying new companies – even when they’ve heard good things. So what can help break down their skepticism?

A great photo!

You want them to know exactly what they’re getting into before coming in, and one of our best ways to do this is by posting high-quality images on your website or local listings, as well as social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook. This way, potential customers get an idea of how it looks inside your  space before they come.

And in the end, the consistency between these photos and your customers’ in-person experience will make them more inclined to review you positively. If you can manage the customer experience starts before someone enters your store, you’ll be more likely to get a positive interaction – leading to a positive review.

Conclusion

Your online reputation matters. If you want to take control, it’s time to focus on reviews.

Responding quickly and politely is just as important as asking customers for feedback directly.

Invest in customer service training or hire someone qualified who can respond professionally when something goes wrong (which will happen).

And if you’re ready to take your laundry business’ online review game up a notch, let us help you manage all of these processes. Let’s chat!