One great way to “Make the Cheerleader” is with an “Immediate Quality Check” (IQC) phone call. I’ve always suggested calling the home owner the day after the job. But now with instant online reviews it is much better to call the home owner IMMEDIATELY after your tech leaves and HERE is why!
However, more and more customers prefer communicating “remotely” with their service providers on-line. This is even better for you since a) you’ll save time and b) these “dialed in” on-line clients are much more likely to leave you positive reviews on Google, social networking and consumer websites.
In your initial phone conversation booking the job explain that you always check back with your clients to make sure the job was perfect. Then ask your customer if they would prefer their “Quality Check” call verbally over the phone OR in a follow-up e-mail or text. (Customers love having options and choices.)
Now if the home owner chooses the online/text option your Quality Check e-mail should discreetly mention, “I depend on my delighted customer’s word-of-mouth advertising. So if you would like to “super charge” your recommendation you can click on any (or all) of these links …”
Then include active links to Google, Yelp, Angies List, Judy’s Book, Bing, Insider, Citysearch, Kudzu, Yahoo, Merchant Circle or other social networking/ consumer feedback sites popular in your area. (At the close of your QC e-mail be sure to thank your customer “in advance” for their support!) Now you have “made it easy” for a delighted client to give you a great review!
NOTE: If the home owner chooses a verbal IQC phone call you can still include your “online review request” along with the above links in a follow-up e-mailed “Thank You for Your Business” note.
So what other review sites have you found valuable and how are YOU promoting and getting positive online customer reviews?
Steve
P.S: You’ll need your customer’s email address to send out the Quality Check e-mail. (And those “easy links” to for those all-important customer Internet reviews.) Yet many callers are reluctant to share their e-mail address. So here’s how to ask for AND get your customer’s e-mail address.