Home Remodelers Need a Process to Collect Reviews
87% of customers rely on reviews as part of the process they use to hire a local company according to a BrightLocal study. 72% of consumers have written a review for local businesses.
Customers are very active in reading and writing reviews. You need to provide high-quality services and get reviews in order to be successful and get more remodeling clients.
Getting good reviews on your Google Business Profile is the best place to have positive reviews. Google makes use of reviews as one of their ranking factors in determining where you’ll be displayed in the local search results “More reviews and positive ratings can improve your business’s local ranking“. You can be sure that other review sites (besides Google) also consider the number of reviews and your overall ratings as ranking factors.
Can I delete My Google Business Listing? How About Listings on Other Sites?
No. Review sites on the Internet are able to showcase your home remodeling company and collect reviews on your behalf to display on their website. Review platforms will not take down your business from their site or stop collecting reviews even if you ask nicely. Oftentimes, they won’t even let you change basic information in your business listing without paying to do so.
These review websites can be annoying, but you can’t really fight back.
Instead, focus on providing your remodeling clients with exceptional work. Then, when you’re done with each job, encourage your customer to leave you a review on one of the review websites.
Home Remodelers: How to Obtain Reviews
The collection of as many reviews from customers is crucial. This should be done in accordance with the terms and conditions of the review site. For some review services like Google, you can ask for reviews. Yelp is one of the few review sites that won’t allow you to ask customers to review you on Yelp – so don’t ask.
You’ll need to know based on the review platform what kinds of review collection tasks are permitted.
If you are looking to solicit reviews from customers, there is a variety of ways to get a customer to give you a review. Below are the top ways that you can get reviews for your home remodeling business.
Send a link for a review by text
The most effective way to encourage your customers to give you a star rating and text review is to text them a link to your review page on a review site. It’s easy for them and quick for you. Before sending an email, ask them to confirm they’re interested in providing a review prior to sending the text.
This should be done while you’re finishing your remodeling services for the homeowner. Since their experience is fresh in their minds, this can increase your chances of obtaining a customer to leave reviews.
The most reliable source for reviews is Google – has a step-by-step process to help you get the review link to your Google Business Profile. From your Google Business Profile, you should be able to click on the “Share Review Form” box to get a link to at you can give your customers to get more reviews.
Go to Your Google Business Profile and select “Share Review Form” under the Get More Reviews section
Email a Review Link
The other option is probably to send your customer a link for a review as part of your remodeling services by email. It is likely that you will get fewer responses to this than a text message. Your email could be lost in their spam filter or they may be too busy to complete the review when your mail gets there.
Use a Review Service
There are multiple online review platforms that can automate the review collection process for your business.
GatherUp
GatherUp provides review collection and review services starting at $99/month for up to 3,500 customers. To collect reviews, this includes both email (3,000/mo) as well as text (300/mo).
You’ll also get an online review widget that you can use on your remodeling company’s website. GatherUp offers robust reporting and reviews that can be monitored online.
GatherUp provides a 14-day no-cost trial.
Grade.US
Grade.US starts at $110 per month and is targeted at marketing agencies, but you could also sign up your home remodeling company for the service and manage it by yourself. You can also send 200 customer texts per month at an additional cost. You can also add a carousel on your site which rotates your reviews from various review platforms around the Internet.
Grade.US offers a 14-day trial for a free trial.
Fake Reviews
Real reviews shouldn’t be an issue if you’ve developed the right review collection method which employs the strategies described previously. It won’t be necessary to boost your reviews using suspect methods like fake reviews. But we need to address the dangers of fake reviews here.
Never ever convince someone else to create a fake review about your remodeling business. Don’t encourage anyone who hasn’t been a customer to write reviews on Google or any other site.
The FTC frowns on fake reviews as they are a deceptive business practice. Do not allow family members or friends to review your business. Do not hire companies to write reviews about your remodeling company. These practices don’t only apply to reviews – false endorsements in any way (including things as basic as a “like” on Facebook) could be considered a deceitful business procedure.
Incentivizing Reviews
Another method that is prohibited by the FTC is to incentivize reviews. This has the potential to cause trouble not just with the FTC but also with the review platforms themselves. The review platforms want to ensure that the reviews they display are as genuine as possible so that people keep using the review platform’s website.
That means your home remodeling business should not offer any reward such as a prize, contest, or chance to win in exchange for leaving a review. If you’re providing a high-quality service, these strategies should not be required at all.
Online Review Monitoring
It’s crucial to respond to reviews daily if possible – and weekly at minimum for most businesses. A majority of the review platforms mentioned in the article earlier provide review monitoring, making it simpler for you to know when you’ve received reviews from various review sites. You’re going to have to consistently monitor and respond to customer reviews for your home remodeling services
Response to Reviews of Your Remodeling Services
You should reply to reviews written for you on review sites. This shows your customer that you’re an involved business owner who appreciates honest feedback. It displays a level of responsiveness that many of your competitors probably don’t possess and it can make you stand out.
Reacting to Positive Reviews
It’s simple to respond to positive reviews about your company. Thank them for their patronage and let them know what a pleasure it was working with them.
Any staff member can be trained to reply to positive reviews. There is no need to waste the time of the business owner or the remodeling team who is performing the actual work.
Negative reviews must also be dealt with
Even even if you’re the most dedicated owner and provide unmatched home remodeling services, negative reviews are bound to happen. You just need to deal with these negative reviews appropriately.
A negative review doesn’t necessarily mean that your home remodeling company is doomed. If you manage the issue properly, it won’t be an issue. If a business only has positive reviews, it could look fake to prospective customers.
Search Engine Land reports that 90% of those who read reviews don’t put too much weight in an individual negative review. If the business owner properly addresses the negative review in a timely manner, the majority of people won’t believe it. Many reviewers will even change a negative review to become more positive when you’re contrite and do your best to fix the customer’s issue.
Marketing Opportunity that is geared toward Prospects
It may sound counterintuitive, but a negative review response is about your potential prospects as opposed to the client who left the negative review. Some customers are a lost cause and won’t ever be happy and won’t work with you again no matter what. Your response to a negative review needs to be written with the knowledge that future prospects will see what you write and will evaluate you on your response.
The potential future customers will notice if a negative customer review is ranting and erratic. Don’t engage the reviewer at this confrontational, emotional level. Make sure you have a well-considered, rational, well-thought-out response. If possible, you should try to solve the issue. Show you care. Do not get into arguments.
You Made a Mistake and Received a Bad Review
Accept it. Take responsibility for any miscommunications, and be considerate. If you can, try to make it right with the homeowner/business owner. Fix any issues that exist after you’ve completed your remodel work.
Use the negative review as a learning opportunity and fix your internal processes so that you don’t get another negative review in the future for the same exact issue.
A Negative Review That isn’t Your Fault
Sometimes, despite offering excellent service, you’ll get a negative review. These are the ones that are the most difficult to handle. You don’t want to spark a heated argument with your customer – even though you know you’re right and they’re wrong.
Thanks for their comments Be understanding of their dilemma and do your best to contact them directly if possible to come to an amicable solution. Oftentimes problems like this are due to communication issues.
Dealing with Fake Negative Reviews
The Internet is full of fake reviews. It is possible that you have received a review from a “customer” whom you’re sure you’ve never served.
Many times, unethical competitors will go so far as to pay people to leave negative reviews about your company.
There are several steps when you’re sure that you’re dealing with fake negative feedback.
1) Contact the Review Platform
Make them aware that the author of the review was not an actual customer of yours.
Unfortunately, the review services are notoriously unresponsive, and most likely will not act on your protest. Therefore, I suggest that you:
2) Respond to the Review
If the review website allows business owners to respond to reviews, take advantage of it. Make it clear that the individual who posted the review wasn’t a customer. State that your business is committed to providing the best quality of service available and that the incident they’re talking about didn’t happen. It might be helpful to note that in the very rare event when a customer is not initially satisfied with the services provided, that you make every effort to rectify the situation.
Best Reviews and Platforms for Home Remodelers
It is important to keep track of the reviews you get for your home renovation business through the various review websites.
One of the ways to find out where people leave reviews on online sites for your business is to enter the name of the home remodeling business and then the word “reviews”. In the image below, I typed in “Harder Remodeling reviews Highlands Ranch” – a home renovation company in Colorado south of Denver.
There are reviews and references to the business on a variety of other websites which appear on the top of the search results page. These listings must be maintained and monitored.
Google Reviews
(A) in the screenshot above. Google is undeniably the most important review source for you to track and respond to. Whenever someone searches for your brand name on Google, they’ll see these reviews.
Yelp Reviews
(B) in the screenshot above. Yelp will frequently be included in search results for remodelers. You must create and manage a Yelp page. Respond to reviews. The star rating will be displayed just below the Yelp listing for your business right on the search results page. Your prospects are very likely to see your Yelp rating as a result.
Angi.com (Also HomeAdvisor)
(C) screenshot above. Angi.com and HomeAdvisor are two sites owned by the same company that appear high up in search results for home services professionals. Your star rating, as with Yelp, may appear right on the search results page.
(E) in the screenshot above. Create a Facebook business page and collect reviews and recommendations. Keep your customers happy and interact with them on Facebook especially if they leave reviews. These reviews are frequently prominently displayed on the search results page in Google.
BBB
(F) in the screenshot above. Like the other sites mentioned above – you’ll want to maintain and monitor your BBB listing. BBB reviews are trusted even more than Google by consumers according to the BrightLocal study mentioned at the beginning of this article. You’ll want to pay very close attention to your BBB listing.
Other Sites
(D) in screenshot above is referral list. When searching for your company name, any websites that appear on the first or second page of search results should be monitored. Claim your listing and keep an eye on incoming reviews.
Other review sites that you could find when searching for your company include:
- thumbtack.com
- Yellowpages.com
- houzz.com
For each, ensure that you’ve claimed your listing and follow up on reviews
Local Services Ads Reviews
Note that if your remodeling business makes use of Local Services Ads, Google will automatically provide them with an email with a link to review the Local Services Ads platform – which makes it a particularly simple method to collect reviews. These reviews are only available for Local Services Ads. They aren’t included in the Google Business Profile reviews. Be sure to collect Google Business Profile reviews separately.
Online review management
Your home remodeling company will be listed on several websites that are completely outside of your control, including review websites. They won’t let you remove your business from their listings.
Instead, consider these websites as another way to promote your company. Make sure your company’s profile is registered on every major review site. React to all reviews – positive or negative.
When a customer gives you a bad review, regardless of whether it’s because of you or not – do your best to rectify the situation. People who might be interested in your business can view the reviews as well as your replies to reviews. They will also be able to assess your response to difficult situations and will judge whether or not it is worth hiring you based in part on how you respond to reviews.
Make sure that you resolve disputes offline whenever possible and don’t engage in arguments with customers online.
