What Are Verified Reviews and Why Are They Better?

Part 1 of a 3-Part Series: Potential Customers Are Looking at Your Reviews

Do you know how most consumers go about finding a new automotive repair shop? The latest SureCritic survey asks consumers about the influence of consumer reviews on that process. What if we told you 90% of consumers rely on consumer reviews when deciding where to service their vehicle – would that matter to your business success? You better believe it! This three-part blog post will explore what your online review reputation may be saying to your potential customers and how to take control of the message.

Taking control of your “online reputation” starts with collecting reviews that have been verified. This means the business transaction that prompted the review can be confirmed which tells the consumer that the review process is not being manipulated. For example, SureCritic’s “Verified Customer” reviews provide that “seal of approval” by including the customer name, transaction date, and vehicle.

“72% of vehicle owners agree they trust online reviews more when they are from verified customers.”

SureCritic’s 2021 AUTOMOTIVE REVIEW INFLUENCE STUDY

It’s clear according to SureCritic’s 2021 AUTOMOTIVE REVIEW INFLUENCE STUDY that consumers do assign more credibility to verified reviews and that ‘…72% of vehicle owners trust online reviews more when they are from verified customers.’

In addition to the additional credibility verified reviews provide, your overall star rating will be higher with verified reviews. Unverified reviews from third-party review systems such as Google and Yelp rely on the consumer being motivated. There, you’re more likely to find unhappy customers searching for an avenue to complain who will go to that trouble of establishing a third-party review account – slanting your overall review score lower.

However, when you ask all your customers for a review, it allows the majority of customers who were happy with your service to be more accurately represented against the few unhappy ones  – correctly slanting your overall review score positive.

All of this means that by actively soliciting all your customers for verified reviews, you will not only have a better picture of your customer satisfaction, and more credibility with consumers looking for auto repair service, but those consumers will also see a higher star review rating for your business.

Click here for more insights from the SureCritic’s 2021 AUTOMOTIVE REVIEW INFLUENCE STUDY {https://learn.surecritic.com/2021-automotive-review-influence-study/}

 

Stay tuned for Part 2) Responding to Reviews, and Why it Matters; and Part 3) How to Maximize Your Review Marketing Opportunity coming soon!

 

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About the Author

Brian Warfield

Brian Warfield is a Senior Product Manager for the Mitchell 1 SocialCRM product line. He has been in the automotive software business for over 20 years and has earned a degree in Marketing from the University of Cincinnati Business College.