Pulse January / February 2019 | Page 52

What to Do with the Good Consumers today are more and more likely to rely solely on online reviews to aid their purchasing decisions, with 88 percent of consumers trusting online reviews as much as personal recommendations. This means that online reviews have more influence than a phone call or a text to a friend or family member to gather opinions. This is why it has become crucial for business owners to increase their online relevancy and use positive reviews to help shape their business. When you receive positive reviews, look for common themes and reoccurring words or phrases which could be used to help craft or update your mission statement. Do several of your positive reviews mention that appointments are always prompt? Use that accolade to set the standard for your future guests. Are you receiving compliments on a specific spa treatment offered on your menu? Use this feedback to create a specialty treatment on the menu for spa guests seeking these types of services. Lastly, use those positive reviews as testimonials on your spa website or social media accounts. How to Handle the Bad and the Ugly While receiving good online reviews from previous visitors is a wonderful way to add a positive message to your business, it is inevitable that you will have a negative review at some 50 PULSE ■ January/February 2019 “When you receive positive feedback, look for common themes and reoccurring words and phrases which could be used to help craft or update your mission statement or company values.” point. Have you ever encountered a situation where a customer walks in to your spa, you greet them with a smile, engage with them in thoughtful conversation and do your very best to provide them with the level of customer service they walked in expecting, only to have them leave and post a less-than-stellar review? Surprisingly, this happens fairly often, and the method in which you respond can greatly impact the way prospective customers view your customer service values. When you receive a negative review about your spa, whether about the treatment itself or the level of customer service the guest experienced, it’s vital to respond to the critic as soon as possible in a professional manner to avoid looking like the complaint is being ignored. Reply to the negative