Top Benefits of Replying to Reviews

There are many benefits that come from replying to customer reviews but the following reasons sit at the top of the list because they are strategic and offer a long-term business impact.

• Exceed Customer Expectations
  If you’re not replying to reviews, you’re falling short of your customers’ expectations. Users who complain expect a response within 3 days. Putting a process in place for your business to reply to customers will help you to meet, or even better, exceed their expectations.
• Seize an Opportunity to Influence
  Replying to customer reviews gives your business the opportunity to provide additional information, give context, offer perspective, and support the reviewer. Business replies do double-duty. They serve the customer writing the review and influence shoppers who read them to buy from you.
• Make a Connection
  Humans are social creatures. Especially those who reach out to your business by leaving a review. Acknowledging their sentiment and offering a reply validates your customer, their effort, and creates a feel-good connection to your brand. Replying to Google reviews has an added bonus. Google now sends an email alert to the reviewer that informs them of your reply. The customer gets an instant rush from recognition and you get another impression for your brand.
• Get Better Ratings
  A study from Harvard Business Review showed businesses who replied to customer reviews experienced 12% more reviews. Ratings also increased an average of 0.12 stars which could mean an addition of a 1/2 star to your rating.