Why You Should Leave Your Local Business a Review

In today’s day of social media and search engines, it’s more important than ever to mean what you say and say what you mean. Word-of-mouth is and will always be the best form of marketing for a business, big or small. This is why the reviews are so important. Websites like Yelp! and the Better Business Bureau use general information about the business, customer reviews, and other factors like accreditation, warranties, and guarantees to determine a combined grade or rating. Social media sites like Facebook and search engines like Google also offer an outlet for customers to post reviews. These reviews are invaluable to a business, not just to drum up business, but to improve business, so it’s important that you get the most out of your review.

The One-Star Review

It happens more often than you think—someone leaves a negative review, but fails to leave details. If you leave a negative review, be sure to leave details so that the company knows at least the basics. Details to include might be the date of service, the name of your technician, the type of service scheduled and performed, and the exact reason for your dissatisfaction. A negative review can be very beneficial to the business if you explain yourself. It is easy to tell when a disgruntled customer leaves a review because they leave one star and no explanation. This brings the business’ rating down, but doesn’t allow them to improve.

The Five-Star Review

On the other end of the spectrum, a good review can also be unhelpful if no details are included. Oftentimes a customer is extremely pleased with one area (professionalism, prompt service, or price), so they leave a five-star review, overlooking other problems that might have occurred during the appointment. A good rule of thumb is to write a detailed review, read it over, and then give a star-rating based on what you wrote.

The Reach of a Review

When you leave a review on the internet you inevitably reach thousands. Whoever searches that business will stumble upon your review. You can even share it on your own social media so that your friends can see your thoughts. We often overlook the fact that our review also reaches another, much more narrow audience—the business owner. Most business owners read customer reviews. If you’re happy with the service you can give your technician a tip and shake his hand, but that is as far as it goes. If you’re unhappy you can complain to the technician, but how often are you able to complain to the owner? Your review, good or bad, will get to the owner of the business, to improve or to recognize good business practices.

As a customer, especially for in-home maintenance services, you want to find the best company to trust with your home and safety. Help others find the best as well by leaving your review after your services.