More and more customers are opting for digital interactions with businesses, especially now in the era of Covid-19. Suddenly, analysis of customer journeys, customer reviews and satisfaction metrics to understand what customers want has given way to an acute urgency to address what they need. Many businesses are in a strong position to get their products and services to consumers via online channels and have taken steps to launch their digital presence. However, they are struggling to acquire and convert customers.
What drives customer purchases?
The first step in customer purchase lifecycle, is the desire for the product or service. This desire can be created based on either a trigger or need or based on current consumer trends. The next step is to search for the product or service and evaluate the businesses which provide the desired results. Upon further exploration of the actual product or service, the users may decide to make a purchase or drop off.
In a study by Forbes magazine1, over 90% of consumers read reviews before making a purchase. Here is where reviews can help.
1. Reviews build trust
Before the digital era, the best way for your clients to become promoters was through word of mouth. There was no viable public medium for consumers to express and seek opinions about products. Today, the power of customer reviews is such that with one click, one customer’s experience can be shared around the world, allowing each consumer to see customer comments as a reference for when they make decisions about purchasing a product or service.
84% of people trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation and 74% of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a business more. Positive rating increases the customer’s confidence and assists them to make their purchase decisions.
Hence it is important to ensure that your products and businesses have reviews to build trust and increase conversions.
2. Reviews help build loyalty
Customers tend to give reviews if they have received a good experience or when it needs improvement. Positive or negative reviews can significantly impact your sales because consumers will look for feedback before making a purchase decision. Even negative reviews are helpful as they tell you what needs to be modified to offer a better product. Moreover, customers understand this and place more weight into how your company responds to the negative review than the original issue. Your response is seen as an indicator of how future customers will be treated if they encounter an issue with your company, so it’s important to respond and address the issue. By addressing the issue, and responding to the comments online, you have created a loyal customer who feels heard and become the advocate for your brand, even after closing the sale.
3. Reviews drive more traffic
Positive online reviews from your customers have a strong influence on search engine ranking by as much as 10%, according to a study by Moz. When search engines like Google see that your company has several positive and recent reviews, it shows that your site has authority and ranks them higher. Being able to see the reviews and ratings in search results also tends to increase click-through rates to your site, driving precious organic traffic. When feedback about a product is shared on social media, readers may want to look at the brand’s website, in turn increasing the brand’s awareness and visibility.
4. Reviews are a gold mine of data
Collecting reviews is a worthwhile endeavor, but if you don’t analyze them to gain new insight into your consumers, the string is too loose. Customers often don’t limit their feedback to “This product is good” or “I didn’t like this product” — they will explain why. And that’s where these reviews come in handy.
Reviews help you to understand exactly what your customers expected, as well as what they actually experienced. When you know that, then you can offer more of what your customers like and improve what they don’t. Proactively understanding your customer base, and taking the necessary steps to make decisions based on customer feedback, can also give you an edge over your competitors. And if you aren’t listening to your customers, your business will miss out on opportunities for innovation, marketing, and customer development.
Combing through and making sense of the reviews manually is not feasible or scalable. By using AI tools like Bewgle, you could easily find actionable insights from reviews to help you deliver better experiences that can help you build a more satisfied and loyal customer base.
Summary
In conclusion, customer experience has taken a U-turn in the overwhelming challenge of COVID-19. Customer leaders who care and innovate during this crisis and anticipate how customers will change their habits will build stronger relationships that will endure well beyond the crisis’s passing. Using Bewgle, you can collect meaningful feedback to engage your customers and help drive conversions. However, its important to not stop at only collecting reviews. Analyzing the reviews and customer feedback using Bewgle, will help you to harvest insights to drive continuous improvement of your products, services, and business processes.
Put your brand in a strong place to embrace change, further your organic presence, and find better ways to get your products and services in front of consumers. Reach out to us at info@bewgle.com to get started.
