Would you buy a product on Amazon that has a 2-star average rating and a slew of negative reviews? You probably wouldn’t, but you probably also wouldn’t pause to consider if the reviewer was a reliable source of information or if their issue was still valid.
In the current retail landscape, consumers are driving the message, so online ratings and reviews can make or break a brand. Positive reviews can create a lot of great buzz and set you apart as an industry leader. On the other hand, negative reviews, no matter how factual, can quickly sink brand perception, meaning loss of business that you didn’t anticipate, and that was previously out of your control.
GasBuddy Business Pages allows retailers to monitor and manage their online reputation by reading and replying to customer reviews left in the app.
Consider the review on the left, attached to a station in Orange Park, Florida. Even if the review is a few months old and is surrounded by more positive reviews, customers may determine your station to be unreliable and choose a different location.
Imagine you are the station manager and know, for a fact, that all pumps were working that day or that the broken credit card readers were fixed within a few hours. Negative reviews such as these stay tied to your brand, long after the issue is addressed. But how are customers to know you’ve heard their feedback and are working to make their experience better?
A recent GasBuddy survey found that 72% of our audience would consider returning to a station if their complaints were resolved quickly.
A simple reply that reads, “Thank you for alerting us to a problem with our credit card readers. We have fixed the problem and all pumps are working fine!” lets customers know that you are listening and responding and helps remove negative perception that your location neglects operational issues around the pumps.
For more information and tips on monitoring your GasBuddy online presence and taking advantage of customer feedback, check out our latest publication, “Shoot for the “Stars”: How to Keep Customers Coming Back for More,” for major fuel retailers and company owned and operated locations.