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You DON'T want all 5-star Google reviews

Joe Marconi
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  • 2 months later...
newport5 Enthusiast

newport5

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Posted

hhhhmmmm ... I'm not so sure.  We have (only) 32 reviews (on Yelp) and all 5's except one.  I've heard nothing negative, but naturally I don't know about people who are turned off by that. 

If we create a great experience with a new customer, I say: "Hey, if you had a great experience, please leave a Yelp review."

I've learned that if that customer doesn't have a Yelp account, that brand new review doesn't make it to the front, it ends up behind the scenes (I forget the category name).

I know a guy who ASKS for 5 star reviews. He has 41 reviews, all 5-Star on Google. It works for him. He does have a lot of video reviews as well. Viewers feel as if they know him.

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bantar Community Regular

bantar

Posted
Posted

I'm not suffering from that TERRIBLE 100% 5 Star rating, so I can't tell you how bad it is on that side of the fence.

About 95% of my 1 star reviews are from people who have never spent money here.   I've earned (vs the many unearned ones) 2 of them, and one recently.  Autistic kid offers to buy a lady's car because she could not afford the repairs in order to help the lady get a new car.  He has no money himself.    P.S.  Her car broke down later that day.

I don't bow to my haters.   I address them head on and write my review responses to my new readers looking for a shop.   One person recently told me he came because I didn't apologize to the undeserving.

We solicit reviews with an after-service survey and a link to provide reviews as well as in-person request if we think that they were happy.   Both methods work.  

BTW, It takes 26 5-Star reviews to cancel a 1 Star review.    (26 * 5 + 1 = 131    131 / 26 = 5.03)   As you get more and more reviews, it's harder to move the needle much.

 

On 8/26/2022 at 2:26 PM, newport5 said:

I've learned that if that customer doesn't have a Yelp account, that brand new review doesn't make it to the front, it ends up behind the scenes (I forget the category name).

I have a 3 pager buried in Yelp Not Recommended section.    It was from a customer that I fired because he wanted to argue pricing.   Last time, I explained how it worked.   Next visit, he paid my diag fee, which I explained during drop off, but to his wife.  He was unhappy and tried to convince me that I was wrong.  He was also fired.   Same review is also sitting in the BBB files.

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  • Have you checked out Joe's Latest Blog?

    • Joe Marconi
      The Toolbox is Last to Leave, First is the Heart
      By Joe Marconi in Joe's Blog
         0 comments
      It always amazes me when I hear about a technician who quits one repair shop to go work at another shop for less money. I know you have heard of this too, and you’ve probably asked yourself, “Can this be true? And Why?” The answer rests within the culture of the company. More specifically, the boss, manager, or a toxic work environment literally pushed the technician out the door.
      While money and benefits tend to attract people to a company, it won’t keep them there. When a technician begins to look over the fence for greener grass, that is usually a sign that something is wrong within the workplace. It also means that his or her heart is probably already gone. If the issue is not resolved, no amount of money will keep that technician for the long term. The heart is always the first to leave. The last thing that leaves is the technician’s toolbox.
      Shop owners: Focus more on employee retention than acquisition. This is not to say that you should not be constantly recruiting. You should. What it does means is that once you hire someone, your job isn’t over, that’s when it begins. Get to know your technicians. Build strong relationships. Have frequent one-on-ones. Engage in meaningful conversation. Find what truly motivates your technicians. You may be surprised that while money is a motivator, it’s usually not the prime motivator.
      One last thing; the cost of technician turnover can be financially devastating. It also affects shop morale. Do all you can to create a workplace where technicians feel they are respected, recognized, and know that their work contributes to the overall success of the company. This will lead to improved morale and team spirit. Remember, when you see a technician’s toolbox rolling out of the bay on its way to another shop, the heart was most likely gone long before that.

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