When many brands think “reputation management” they may think of a damage control strategy used by public relations professionals when a major issue arises.
That type of thinking is passé. Now that consumers, not marketers, are the owners and voices of brands through online ratings and reviews, there is a critical, daily need for brands to actively monitor, assess and manage the perception that is being communicated to millions of consumers by their peers.
The fuel industry is no exception—though it is a relatively new concept in this area. Since GasBuddy launched its in-app ratings and reviews feature in April 2016, our users have submitted more than 10 million individual ratings for >140,000 gas stations and convenience stores throughout the country. They’ve also stated that ratings and reviews are an important factor when deciding where to fuel up or shop. A recent survey found that 74% of GasBuddies actively rate stations and c-stores and 75% find ratings and reviews helpful when choosing where to stop. An incredible 8 in 10 would consider returning to a store if they received a personal response to their complaint.
So, how can retailers become part of the conversation that consumers are already having? We recently collaborated with CSP Magazine as well as Convenience Store News to offer fuel marketers and convenience store chains a set of best practices for how to manage their online reputations–and keep customers coming back for more. Click on the images below to read more.
