Automotive repair shop reviews are a crucial component to increasing business. 93% of consumers say reviews influence their decision to make a purchase– it’s how customers gauge whether or not to use your service.
With that said, reviews aren’t something to consider doing, it’s something you should always do.
Collecting them is one thing, but making sure they are consistently good is another. Especially considering the fact that auto repair shop reviews that have 4 stars or less are a surefire way of keeping new customers away. So, what’s the special sauce? For starters, avoid these common mistakes shop owners make:
1. Asking for Reviews in Too Many Places
There are a handful of different sites that you can collect automotive repair shop reviews such as Yelp, Google, and Facebook. Those are the heavy hitters, the ‘big 3’ that can really impact your business. With that said, trying to tackle all of them is a mistake. There is a lot of work that goes into managing reviews on one platform let alone multiple.
For example, as a best practice, you want to make sure to consistently have recent reviews as research shows that 77% of consumers believe that reviews are irrelevant if they’re older than 3 months. Naturally, this is more difficult if you’re juggling reviews on 3 or more different sites simultaneously. Instead, focus your review collecting efforts on just one site.
Start asking your customers where they typically leave reviews for businesses. Gauge the responses over the span of a few months to get an idea of where your customers are spending most of their time and choose a review site based on that information.
2. Not Addressing Negative Reviews
If one of your customers went out of their way to leave a harsh review about your business, it’s your duty as the owner to make it right. Rather than hide or remove negative comments, it’s important to address them head-on. Not only does this help to solve the issue but it shows other potential customers that you will do what it takes to ensure customer satisfaction.
What to Avoid Doing When Addressing Negative Reviews
While responding to negative reviews is less than fun, you want to make sure to do it right as you don’t want to risk losing both current and potential customers Be sure to avoid doing these 5 things:
- Losing your temper- Always remain calm and remember that other potential customers are reading how you respond.
- Taking legal action in response to bad reviews- Some companies have sued customers who have left bad reviews. Not only is it a waste of time, but it also reflects poorly on your business and how you respond to unsatisfied customers.
- Having too much pride to say ‘sorry’- At the very minimum, every response should work to empathize with customers. The first step is to apologize.
- Completely ignoring the issue- Hiding bad reviews doesn’t make them go away. Instead, show your customer (and others) that their business matters by stating exactly how you plan to remedy the situation.
Offering a reward or gift- While this may seem like a solution, you don’t want to buy business or lead others to think you do.
3. Being Inconsistent When Asking or Replying
Consistency is key and it rings true when collecting online reviews both when you ask for them and when you reply to them. Garnering reviews is not a temporary thing, it’s a long-term effort that will continue to build trust and credibility with your customers. That’s why it’s important to make it a part of your daily, weekly, or monthly tasks just as you would for taking inventory or completing payroll.
You should also consider incorporating review messaging into all your marketing initiatives. For example, the signature of every marketing email should provide a place for customers to leave a review.
4. Not Utilizing Automation for Reviews
The demands of remaining consistent with your automotive repair shop reviews can be challenging. As a result, many shop owners are turning to an automated approach to customer reviews. With platforms like BayIQ, you don’t have to worry about manually collecting reviews for your business because they do it for you automatically.
As a customer leaves your shop, they already have an email asking to review your shop’s service. You’ll end up with a hub of collected reviews where you can easily reply from one place then publish them wherever you want.
Additionally, by utilizing BayIQ you’ll have access to a full suite of marketing features including email and SMS text marketing, an integrated POS system, and a built-in loyalty program. With the help of BayIQ your marketing efforts will be fully streamlined without the need to lift a finger.
