While the HVAC world has seen businesses come and go long before the arrival of the internet and social media, this digital component is now an essential part of the marketing process.
Given the fear that some businesses have with embracing online marketing, it’s important to address the importance of obtaining online customer reviews. Doing so could be beneficial down the road since it shows an HVAC company takes its business seriously.
The Online Review Landscape
A standard business website will have a contact number or a contact form, with some including an area for visitors to express their opinion on any business aspect. In addition, independent websites like the Better Business Bureau or Rip Off Report are specifically set up to address complaints about a business are commonplace.
Unfounded Fears
Since there’s no guarantee what type of comment a person may post, an HVAC business needs to embrace negative posts as well as positive ones. That comes with the full knowledge that one poll found that 15 percent of those surveyed won’t visit a business if there’s even one negative review.
15% of more than 1200 surveyed claimed they would not visit a business if there is even one single negative review
Negative Can Be Good
Any censorship of negative comments can boomerang negatively. A 2013 poll found that 68 percent of consumers put their trust in a company willing to take its lumps. Even more pronounced is the 95 percent who doubt the credibility of a firm that only posts positive comments.
68% of consumers trusted reviews more when they saw both good and bad scores
The key things to remember when responding to negative comments from your HVAC customers are to emphasize the positive and do so in a professional manner. Responding with anger, sarcasm or apathy is a recipe for losing market share.
Who Reads Reviews Anyway?
Another poll, the Local Consumer Review Survey, reinforces the importance of this area. The study found that 88 percent of consumers have read reviews to get a quick assessment of a local business and that nearly 40 percent do it on a regular basis. Most of them read up to 10 reviews, with a growing number reading 20 or more.
Information is King
The concept of learning from your mistakes can be seen as the driving force for taking the time to make the most of a negative review. That’s because it may expose an issue that your employees might be either unaware of or afraid to mention, since it may reflect badly on them.
Discovering a potential problem presents a golden opportunity to engage the customer, and hopefully, give them a more positive opinion of your company. Taking care of it quickly can enhance a relationship since 69 percent defined good customer service as resolving a problem in rapid fashion. Missing out or simply ignoring this challenge likely means that they’ll take their business to another HVAC company.
69% defined good customer service as resolving a problem quickly
The issue of being oblivious to online reviews is more prevalent than many businesses would like to admit. Another survey found, that a whopping 87 percent of 300 small business owners surveyed last year don’t bother to ask customers to post reviews online. A full 43 percent stated that it was because they hadn’t thought of doing it.
The Need for a Customer Review Acquisition Strategy
Developing a customer review acquisition strategy for an HVAC company is a simple task that should also be implemented. This can be as simple as training staff to request reviews, sending a review survey via e-mail or contacting the customer in a follow-up phone call. You can also link to the performance review area on your HVAC website.
In the competitive HVAC industry, a willingness to take the heat, keep your cool and breathe deeply are not only part of the sales pitch, but a way of life that will keep your bottom line looking good.
Take The Next Step With Thrive
As a search marketing agency for HVAC companies, Thrive can help create a customer review acquisition strategy to acquire new customer reviews for your business. We understand the importance of online reviews and how they can impact your business. Call (817) 642-9686 or contact us online.
