Recently, we learned that Amazon gives special treatment to its own merchants. The site expunges reviews that criticize Amazon's ain shipping, fulfillment, and packaging. The practice flies in the face of all the best practices for hosting website consumer reviews--and isn't that risky?

The reality is that because of its size, market place authorisation, and generally sterling customer service reputation, Amazon might be able to get away with this deport. Smaller companies, however, shouldn't attempt to practice the same.

As I've written near before, customer service matters now more than e'er, cheers to the advent of social media. These days, consumer reviews and ratings factor strongly in the client service mix--specially the mail-purchasing feel. To tell you how and why, I spoke with Jim Houlihan, director of content authenticity (note that job title) at Bazaarvoice, one of the industry's largest providers of consumer ratings and review direction and syndication.

Trust is Everything

Bazaarvoice strives to "bring the voice of the customer closer to the center of a company'due south business." Indeed, that's a good identify to outset a discussion of ratings and reviews all-time practices. Houlihan points out that when dealing with content generated by give-and-take-of-mouth--peculiarly reviews--consumer trust has to be inviolable. If nosotros consumers cannot trust what we're reading, whether it's nigh a production or a service or an experience, we will ignore it. Customers tend to arraign the company, fifty-fifty if they weren't behind the false reviews. In other words, having accurate reviews is every bit important to managing your reputation as having positive reviews.

Houlihan reminds us that it's a lot easier to tell a falsehood when you don't have to look someone in their eyes. Don't presume your negative reviews take been falsified by competitors trying to make you look bad. In its review management process, Bazaarvoice'due south engineering pairs algorithms with human review moderation to assistance foreclose fraudulent or overly self-promotional reviews. That said, Houlihan says he has to educate clients to ensure that they are not censoring or removing negative reviews--information technology'due south a natural impulse. "All reviews, both positive and negative, accept importance," he says. "Having some negative reviews on your site enhances the trust of your buyers because no company or product is perfect."

Insights from Reviews

In my last commodity, I spoke about listening equally one of the 10 objectives businesses can use to build social media strategies. Similarly, using your customers' reviews as a listening study can provide you lot with insights and opportunities you may never have considered. Listening to negative reviews gives you lot an opportunity to improve your product or service. And, consumer feedback tin can fuel your creativity for new products or services or tip you lot off to market trends you didn't know about.

Review Best Practices

When implementing ratings and reviews on your site, here are some of Houlihan'southward tips:

  • Be transparent. If y'all court experts or endorsers to write product reviews, whether they're positive or negative, y'all should disclose that this person has been recruited or compensated for their review. This kind of disclosure is actually required by the Federal Trade Committee.
  • Be encouraging. Bazaarvoice finds that but about 15 to 20 percent of clients' reviews come in "organically" (meaning unsolicited) and yet, according to Econsultancy, a highly-rated product will increase the likelihood of buy for 55 percent of consumers. It's not only perfectly acceptable but a good thought to encourage your consumers to review and rate yous. Ask for the review on an order confirmation folio or via a post-purchase email. Or have consumers test and review products at an upshot or store. These reviews can even act every bit drivers of foot traffic and sales at your brick and mortar shop if you have one.
  • Moderate expediently. Once submitted, reviews should undergo some sort moderation earlier going alive--more often than not to weed out self-promotion, spam, profanity, and calumniating language. Do it quickly so the review remains relevant and you retain credibility.
  • Respond. Most consumers posting positive reviews don't expect a cheers from the store possessor, only when a negative review gets posted, at the very least you should acknowledge the complaint. If you can, aid directly the reviewer toward a resolution or describe the action you will accept as a effect of their annotate.

  • Protect your make. The larger the brand, the greater the touch a scandal can have. Don't let too many negative reviews get unanswered or permit yourself to fall prey to the want to manipulate your reviews. "If yous're a cheater and violate social ethics, in fourth dimension it will come dorsum to haunt yous," cautions Houlihan.

In other words, exist mindful of the power of the public to impact your business organisation. Their words can help build you lot into a success or take you down, so pay attending.