Every film business knows the importance of having positive customer reviews, but some are finding it difficult to get feedback at all.
“I think we’re so used to the old ways of reviews. Traditionally people who have negative experiences tend to leave them on Google,” said Chandler Goodman, center manager of Alta Mere, located in Oklahoma City, Okla.
“We have had people that leave bad Google reviews just because,” said Les Helton, owner of Performance Window Tinting, located in Carrollton, Ga.
A few weeks ago a potential customer left a negative review of Helton’s window film business. The customer stated it only operates by appointment, which according to Helton is true, and that it is not available or open on the weekends, which Helton said is not true.
“One guy left a bad review and said we don’t work on the weekends. That was false because we’re open every Saturday and he didn’t give us the respect to even talk to us,” said Helton. “I never even talked to the guy, I think he may have gotten a recording at the shop that said we’re with a customer and please call us back to make an appointment, and he decided to leave the review saying we weren’t able to service him.”
Helton thinks these types of negative reviews are unfair to industry businesses because they weren’t able to speak to the potential customer. “That’s the bad thing about having advanced phones – people can hide behind them and it takes three seconds to leave a bad review of a company, and you don’t even know the customer or in some cases you haven’t even talked to them and it’s unfair to us in the business, because you can’t please everyone,” Helton added.
Pleasing Customers
Although it’s impossible to please every customer, the Goodman’s have used a system that has been successful for the past three years.
“We started using a new software shop number through the computer system,” Goodman explains.
The software, according to Goodman, sends a text message to the customer after their installation and reminds them to leave a review. Alta Mere has been using this software to “follow up” with their customers for the past three years.
“The texts give the customer the initiative to leave the review. It’s also a good option because it allows them to ask any follow up questions regarding their installation,” said Goodman. “This number is connected to our business, so our customers have direct access to me and my dad at all times.”
Discounts
Some window film business owners say they have had success in offering discounts as an incentive for their customers to leave reviews, but others disagree.
“I really don’t think that offering a discount means anything unless it’s worth it for your business,” Goodman said. “It’s tough because you want it to work out for each customer but there are many times when things are out of your control.”
Having and being reviewed is one of, if not the, most important resources the industry has, according to Goodman. He said business have to faith in their work and overall experience.
