Why Do Surveys and Reviews Matter to Your Business? By Bob Antoville

Today, more than at any time in our past, consumers are looking to the internet to make decisions on how to spend their money. They are using reviews of people just like you to guide them in their purchases. As a business owner or manager, it is your job to provide the superior service that gets you noticed by potential clients. How do you do that? Through surveys and reviews!

We have all been there before. After getting an oil change or other service at the car dealership, restaurants, or any other service, they remind you to fill out the survey or review that the company will send to your email. Seriously, though, how many times have you deleted or simply forgot about that email?

Relying on a consumer to complete online surveys after the fact is one of the biggest mistakes companies make today. The survey savvy business owner knows that getting reviews online not only drives more customers his or her way, but it also provides the valued opinions of current clients that can help improve operations.

Facts to Know about Customer Responsiveness

Consumers have high expectations these days. If they have a question or want information, they do not want to wait hours or days to get it. According to Forbes, an average of 51% of customers will take their business elsewhere if it takes more than six hours to get a response. One-third may not even wait an hour. Remember, when searching for information online, it is just as easy for them to go to the next name in the search engine.

Phone calls, email, text messaging, and social media, in that order, are the tools businesses use to communicate with their customers. However, many of the problems we see today have to do with communication and responsiveness on the part of the business. As many as 90% of companies do not acknowledge received emails to their customers, much less follow up to ensure satisfaction.

Why is it important to understand these facts when talking about surveys and reviews?

Because if you do not use the tools available to you to drive business your way and maintain it, there is no reason to stay in business. 98% of consumers today look at reviews left by other people when making their decisions.

How to Use Surveys and Reviews to Drive Business

Your Way Surveys and reviews are two entirely different subjects, yet they are both crucial to your business. However, you do not want to bombard your customers with too many demands – they are savvy and will see through your attempts at exploiting their valued opinions. What are surveys, and why do you need them? Surveys are your way of asking your customers questions about your business and the service you provide. Here are some common types of surveys and their benefits:

• Customer Feedback: These surveys let you know how good a job you are doing at meeting the needs of your customers. You can also use the information here to determine future product offerings, services, and marketing campaigns.

• Brand Awareness: These surveys let you know how your consumers view your brand compared to your competition. Positive responses let you know what you are doing right; negative ones show you areas that need improvement.

• Market Research: These surveys give you a sense of your consumer’s shopping habits, needs, and how they view your products or service. The results can influence your marketing strategies.

What are reviews, and why do you need them?

Reviews provide potential customers with the information they need to decide about using your business, service, or product. Positive reviews can increase your revenue; negative reviews can hurt your bottom line. Getting reviews while the information is still fresh in the mind of the consumer is crucial. Days or weeks later, they may forget about the superior service they received.

How to Get Reviews Right Away

Testimonials and reviews on your company website are important, but more so are the ones you see posted on Google, Yelp, Amazon, Trip Advisor, and other independent sites. Never underestimate the power of consumer reviews – they can make or break your business. In the past, you would ask your customer to go home and post on Google or Yelp if they were pleased with the service. Some would – many more would forget or just not care.

So, how do you get positive reviews right away before the consumer leaves your business?

Thanks to Beyondant, you can now have your customers complete those surveys and reviews before they leave your business. With one simple click on their phone, they can go directly to the various websites and, within minutes, provide those beneficial reviews. Beyondant’s patent-pending devices make it possible for you to get 100% participation from your customers, enabling you to reach more people through positive reviews of your business. Some businesses even use incentives as a tool to entice participation. Complete the survey or review online and get a discount on your next purchase.

If you are ready to learn more about how Beyondant’s Technology with CIT platform can help your business thrive and grow, contact Datatransx, Beyondant’s National Authorized Reseller, for more information.

 914.649.1300  info@datatransx.com  www.datatransx.com