For B2B companies, publicly displaying online reviews is an effective way to help inspire confidence in potential customers. Public reviews provide a visible and firsthand account of customers' experiences working with a business, painting a picture of the quality of service offered.

But how do companies take advantage of the online review process? What platforms exist to help generate customer reviews? How should a company respond when a customer leaves a negative review?

Here are three best practices you can implement to maximize the value of online customer reviews and three common mistakes you should avoid.

Three Google Review “Do’s”

Do #1: Sign-Up for a Google Business Profile

One of the best ways to take advantage of customer reviews is to sign up for a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business). A Google Business Profile is your ticket into the Google Business ecosystem. It’s easy to sign-up, and the process is streamlined to get your company rolling.

Google Maps, hours of operation, product information, and of course, Google Reviews all become available to potential customers looking for your products or services on Google platforms. Establishing a Google Business Profile will provide an accessible and familiar platform for your customers to leave reviews.

Do #2: Respond to Your Google Reviews, Even the Negative Ones

When you receive a review on your Google Business profile, make it a habit to respond directly to the customer or client who posted the review. Whether the review is positive or negative, actively responding and interacting with your customers provides a public, documented demonstration of your customer service.

Choosing to ignore negative reviews gives the perception to other customers that you are indifferent to customers’ concerns. In the absence of a thoughtful response, future customers might assume the worst and cautiously choose to take their business elsewhere.

By responding to a negative review, you show potential future customers that you are actively working to offer the best services possible. Empathize with the customer leaving the review, resist the temptation to tell them why they are wrong (more on that later), and focus on resolving the issue.

Do #3: Ask Your Customers to Leave an Online Review

This might seem obvious: asking customers to leave a review is an effective way to generate feedback on your Google Reviews page. While you legally can’t incentivize customers to participate in the review process, you can certainly invite them to leave a review.

There are various ways to generate customer reviews for your business. If you’ve developed a professional relationship with a client, simply extending a request for them to leave a review is often very effective.
If you want to generate reviews on a larger scale from your client base, consider some strategic options like:

• Run an email campaign with clear instructions for leaving a review
• Implement a social media strategy with easy-to-access links to the Google Business platform
• Integrate a module for customers to leave a review on your website

Three Google Review “Don’ts”

Don’t #1: Don’t Purchase Fake Online Reviews

Don’t do it. Customers can see right through fake reviews. There are also legal consequences for false reviews. No matter how enticing the idea of having loads of positive reviews gushing about your products might seem, it’s never worth the risk. As soon as a customer perceives a review isn’t genuine, it’s game over.

On the contrary, while it may seem counterintuitive, research shows that negative reviews can actually help to establish authenticity and credibility for potential customers. When a company exclusively has 5-star reviews, it can portray a too-good-to-be-true perception of your products or services.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you primarily want 2-star ratings on your Google Business profile. But don’t stress too much about a less-than-glowing review here and there. Let it provide some authenticity for your business.

Additionally, if you suspect that spam reviews or bots have targeted your Google Reviews section, report it immediately.

Don’t #2: Don’t Argue with Difficult Customers in the Online Reviews Section

At some point, you’ll likely receive a negative review from a customer who simply has a bone to pick. Resisting the temptation to respond defensively to a disgruntled customer can be difficult, especially if the person leaving the review is over-the-top.

So how should you respond to negative reviews? A common best practice is to stick to a framework known as “HEARD”:

• Hear: Truly listen to what the customer is saying without dismissing it right away.
• Empathize: When responding to the review, convey that you understand why the customer might be upset.
• Apologize: If your company made an error, acknowledge the mistake, and apologize for the situation. If you didn’t necessarily make an error, you can still express regret that the customer feels upset.
• Resolve: This is where you can demonstrate that you are solution oriented. Express your action steps to resolve the issue.
• Diagnose: Use the information from the review to identify what went wrong. If there is a broken process or a breakdown in communication that led to the issue, this is an excellent opportunity to fix it.

By following the HEARD roadmap, you can demonstrate that you are solution-oriented and focused on customer service. Even if you don’t necessarily win over the unhappy customer who posted the review, having a documented public response that displays empathy and resolution will help future customers have confidence in your business.

Don’t #3: Don’t Waste the Opportunity

One of the most tangible benefits of Google reviews is the valuable information you receive directly from your customer base. While having strong ratings to display on your Google Business profile is certainly nice, the actual feedback you receive through customer reviews is priceless.

Companies spend millions of dollars every year collecting market data to learn how they can better connect with their customers. Through the Google Reviews process, that data is delivered to you directly from your customers.

In fact, one customer’s negative review might provide you with a blueprint for how to improve your business. The feedback likely represents at least a portion of your customer base who may feel similar frustrations. Use the information provided by your negative reviews and turn it into a tool to make improvements. Think of every review, positive or negative, as a valuable piece of market data that helps you better serve your customers.

Improve Your Online Presence & Earn Great Reviews with Ecreative

Ecreative is a digital marketing agency specializing in website production and SEO services. Based in Minneapolis, we serve industrial and manufacturing companies in Minnesota and around the nation, developing online marketing strategies for growth and expansion. At Ecreative, our in-house teams of web developers, copywriters, and digital marketers have the proven experience and skills to help your B2B company find sustainable success.

If you want to boost your online presence and develop a comprehensive marketing strategy for your company, Ecreative is ready to work with you. Contact us today to get started.