“They go above and beyond with their patience, professionalism, empathy, kindness and so much more!”  “Everyone and I mean everyone in this office are so nice and friendly. I’ve always hated to go see a doctor but, I enjoy my visits with this doctor.”  “Always polite and respectful…very professional and knowledgeable.”  These are excerpts from the first three online reviews that came up on a search for The Physicians Spine and Rehabilitation Specialists: Rome at the time of writing this article.

Online reviews are an essential part of the consumer decision making process.  Most consumers have a habit of regularly browsing online reviews. Studies have shown that 93% of consumers say online reviews will affect shopping choices. Consumers are searching for social proof. They want an unbiased recommendation from an everyday person.  For better or worse we operate in a society in which consumers can share their feedback about goods or services with the world within minutes.  How can businesses harness this power to propel them to the top? 

Understand that online reviews are critical to the success of any business and start proactively seeking them out.  If a customer seems happy with the service they received, let them know how much you appreciate them and ask them to leave a review.   Provide them with a couple of options on how to do so.  Some businesses go so far as to provide a reminder card to leave a review.  Obtaining online reviews is not just a sprint but a marathon.  Online algorithms make recommendations to consumers based on the number of stars a customer leaves in their review, quality of the written review, quantity of reviews for the business and frequency of new reviews. 

If you do have an unhappy customer, seek out constructive feedback for ways to improve and enrich the customer experience for future customers through a private platform.  Consumers want to be heard and if you don’t provide them with a way to offer critical feedback in private that feedback will be made in public.  Every business has to deal with negative feedback.   Strive to respond punctually and politely emphasizing your desire to resolve their current issue and improve on future performance.  Many times, this interaction can play out in a public forum so remember to show potential customers that their concerns are taken seriously and they will not be ignored.

Although I am peripherally aware of companies that can “doctor” your reviews. I cannot recommend this type of service because we haven’t had to use it.  We provide quality care to individuals dealing with neck, back, shoulder, hip, knee or foot pain. Our treatment goal is to provide comprehensive minimally invasive treatments to not only reduce pain but to improve function.  In offering the highest level of compassion and care, we hope to establish a strong relationship with our customers so that their unfiltered private and public opinion of us will speak volumes about our reputation.