Since sites like Amazon and Ebay took over the online marketplace, the idea of the star based review has become ubiquitous in the world of internet sales and customer service. Whether you realise it or not, whenever you search for products on sites like this, your eye will be drawn to the customer reviews and star rating before anything else.
A higher star rating and a list of glowing reviews will instil a sense of trust and confidence in most people whereas a low star rating and several negative reviews will cause them to look elsewhere. In this article, we look at the pros and cons of including a customer feedback form on your website.
Pros:
Being able to air concerns, provide positive feedback or ask questions is essential for most customers now. Having a platform to communicate in this way is a brilliant way for them to let you know what they love and also what could be improved. When customers know they can write a genuine, honest review of a product on your site, they are likely to feel confident about the quality of the service you provide, which will ultimately increase their chances of becoming a regular client.
- It shows you have nothing to hide
In a world full of scammers and offers that seem too good to be true, consumers are rightfully becoming warier when it comes to selecting the businesses they use. Feedback forms are a way for new businesses to show they’re not only legitimate but also one of the best in the industry. Of course, this depends on the quality of the feedback you are given, but providing you deliver the service you promise, this should not be an issue.
- Problems can be addressed immediately
If you are unlucky enough to receive a low scoring review or negative comments in your customer feedback section, try to see this as a positive if you can. A well written, considered and thoughtful response to a complaint can actually demonstrate your level of professionalism and your dedication to constant improvement. If potential customers notice that you have dealt with a complaint in an effective manner, for example, offering an immediate refund or providing a replacement product, they are likely to look upon your business more favourably than if you simply ignore any bad feedback.
- Customers can communicate with each other
There is no better marketing tool than word of mouth but the next best thing is a genuine, positive review written by a real person who has used a product or service. On some of the most successful e-commerce sites, you can notify customers recommending products to each other and even sending direct links to URLs. Allowing your customers to do this helps to build a community and creates a direct link between your most satisfied clients and those who perhaps need a little more convincing. Though it’s important for you to try and promote yourself as much as possible when your customers do it for you, this is even more effective.
Cons:
- People aren’t always honest
Though the majority of people would not deliberately leave a negative review for its own sake, unfortunately, there are some individuals who will go out of their way to cause problems if they feel they have been let down in some way. It is quite rare, but in that case, where the customer has misunderstood the product or service on offer, they can sometimes be incredibly negative when it comes to leaving comments. In this case, the best course of action would be to communicate in a professional, friendly manner, clearly stating the terms and conditions or specifications of the product or service on offer. Though it may not get rid of the bad review, it will let other customers know that this incident was not your fault.
- Spam can be an issue
It’s everywhere these days and spam in comments sections, \ and forums is still a real problem. Having multiple comments that are either nonsensical or clearly advertising an unrelated product or service is obviously damaging to your business, so this is something that should be considered before you add a customer feedback for to your website. To combat this problem, the best option is to hire a webmaster to manage the site for you. They can delete anything irrelevant and clean up things like multiple posts so the overall look and feel of your website remain professional. In extreme cases, for example, if a complaint is unjustified or based on something that isn’t true, simply removing it from the form is possible.
- Too many negative reviews can destroy your business
If your business is new or you have been through a particularly difficult patch, having a number of negative reviews in the feedback section can be so damaging it can drive your existing customers away. Avoid adding this feature to your website until you are sure that you have at least some very happy customers who are willing to tell other people about the quality of the goods or services you provide. If you do add a feedback section straight away, ensure you monitor it regularly and most importantly, engage with what your customers are saying. You might not like everything they write, but responding to it will help you improve in the long term.
- It can take up too much space
If you have limited bandwidth and a fairly cheap hosting package, space on your website will be at a premium. That means you will need to consider how important a feedback section really is to your business. If you are going to have to sacrifice images, video or other content that you consider essential in order to include a review section, it may not be the right time to add a feedback section to your site just yet. Long reviews where customers get a little carried away can be offputting to some people as well, so a character limit can be a good way of keeping reviews short and snappy.
