Every lawn care company needs to take a proactive approach to reputation management. By building a strong reputation for your lawn care company, you can increase your visibility, build trust with prospective customers and grow your business.
Reputation management is a critical part of lawn care marketing, and responding to reviews is an important part of reputation management.
Today, we’re going to cover the basic dos and don’ts of how to respond to reviews for your lawn care company.
Do make it a point to respond to all reviews, negative and positive
No matter what the review says, make it a point to respond. This shows that you are taking the time to listen to your customers and you care about their experience with your lawn care company. A simple “thank you for your feedback” goes a long way.
Plus, when you respond to negative reviews, it allows you to share your side of the story with the world and set the record straight about your lawn care services. It also gives you a chance to show off your customer service and turn an unhappy customer into a loyal one.
Don’t get into a back-and-forth argument
If the review is negative, resist the urge to get into a back-and-forth argument with the customer. This will only make the situation worse and damage your lawn care company‘s reputation even more.
Instead, take the high road and apologize for the poor experience. Then, offer to make it right by giving the customer a discount on their next lawn care service or a freebie, like a lawn mower blade sharpening.
Not only will this help you to turn a negative experience into a positive one, but since the interaction is public, it also helps to demonstrate the kind of service you offer your customers.
Do take the conversation offline
If the customer is unhappy with their experience, take the conversation offline so you can resolve the issue without everyone watching. This shows prospective lawn care leads that you are committed to making things right and that you care about your customers.
The best way to do this is to reach out to the customer directly through phone or email and offer to make things right. You can also give the customer your direct line or email address in your response, where they can reach out to you to discuss the matter further.
Don’t delete negative reviews
Even if a negative review is unfair or unkind, don’t delete it. This will only make you look like you’re trying to hide something and will damage your reputation even more.
Instead, use it as an opportunity to show off your customer service skills. By responding professionally and taking the conversation offline, you can turn a negative experience into a positive one.
In some cases, if you can turn the situation around, customers may even be willing to edit their reviews. This can help to keep your lawn care company‘s average star rating high on review sites.
Do ask for additional feedback
In your response to a positive review, be sure to thank the customer for their feedback and ask them for more details about their experience. This helps to show that you value their input and that you’re always looking for ways to improve your service.
It also helps to build a relationship with customers and turn them into loyal advocates for your lawn care company. When they have good things to say, they’re more likely to share their experience with others, which can help to attract new customers.
Don’t wait too long to respond
The sooner you respond to a review, the better. This shows that you are paying attention to what customers are saying and that you care about their experience.
If you wait too long to respond, the customer may think you don’t care and that you’re not interested in their feedback. This can damage your relationship with the customer and your lawn care company‘s reputation.
So, make it a point to check for new reviews on a regular basis and respond as soon as you can.
Do let customers know how you’ll use their feedback
When you ask for additional feedback in your response to a positive review, be sure to let the customer know how you plan to use their input. This helps to show that you value their feedback and that you’re always looking for ways to improve your lawn care services.
It also helps to build a relationship with customers and turn them into loyal advocates for your lawn care business. When they see that their feedback is being used to make positive changes, they’re more likely to share their experience with others, which can help to attract new customers.
Don’t forget to proofread your responses
Before you hit send, be sure to proofread your response for grammar and spelling errors. This shows that you are taking the time to respond thoughtfully and that you care about your image.
It also helps to avoid any misunderstandings or miscommunications that could damage your lawn care company‘s reputation. So, take a few minutes to proofread your response before you hit send.
Do use reputation management software
The right reputation management software can help you to keep track of your lawn care reviews and respond to them quickly. This can save you a lot of time and help to ensure that you never miss a review.
The Marketing 360® Reputation app has everything you need to build a strong reputation for your lawn care business. This includes requesting reviews, monitoring your reviews from across the web, responding to reviews and more.
With the Reputation app, you can get more five-star reviews from your customers and become the go-to lawn care company in your area.
These are just a few of the dos and don’ts of how to respond to reviews for your lawn care company. By following these tips, you can build a strong reputation for your business and attract more customers.
The Reputation app is just one of the many tools available to lawn care companies with Marketing 360®’s all-in-one marketing platform.
From one place, you can build a beautiful website, master SEO and content marketing, drive exclusive lawn care leads, connect with your community on social media and so much more.
Learn more about growing your lawn care business with Marketing 360, and see our plans and pricing.
