We spend a lot of time writing about reviews and thinking about how we can make review management easier for our customers. Every new piece of research we read, every anecdote we hear, and every personal experience we have all point to the value of managing reviews.
Too many business owners throw their hands up and give up on reviews. We get it. It's personal and it's painful to read how someone misinterpreted and mis-characterized your service, product, or business. But, the absolutely dead wrong response is to walk away. Out of your sight may mean out of your mind, but the research continues to point to the fact that it is still top of your mind for your prospective customers.
The folks over at PeopleClaim have done some research and put together the following infographic to help visually explain the impact of reviews on people's decision making processes. It's chalk full of statistics and it's a quick (visual) read.
Here are some our favorite statistics:
- 86.9% of people said they'd trust a friend's review over a critic's - We think this points to Facebook eventually becoming a dominant player in the review space. Being able to mine you friend's reviews and purchasing habits could be much more valuable than following wannabe critics on Yelp
- 95% of unhappy customers will return if their issue is resolved quickly and efficiently - This underscores the importance of making sure you respond to those negative reviews quickly. It can not only save a customer but may even turn that person into an advocate
- Customer reviews create a 74% increase in product conversion - Reviews matter. Getting reviews can help increase the conversion rate of your business. Many people won't even consider a business if it doesn't have reviews on Yelp or tips on Foursquare.
Here's the infographic for you to find your favorites:
Infographic Credit: PeopleClaim
Having read this infographic, have you been inspired to go manage those reviews?