Nowadays everyone consults the internet when it comes to choosing a product or service—including a roofing company. Consumers refer to sites like Yelp, HomeAdvisor and Google Reviews to get a feel of how other customers’ experiences have been. But not all reviews are glowing. From delayed arrival times to increased costs, customers can have some unresolved issues that are pointed out through review platforms.
We’ve put together a list of ways you can handle and respond to negative roofing customer reviews. Keep reading to learn more!
Acknowledge the customer’s concerns
Every customer wants to be heard. While sometimes complaints can be very minor—or exaggerated—incidents, they should always be addressed. Not necessarily because you are in the wrong, but because it shows other potential customers that you really care about the services you provide.
The first thing you should do after receiving negative feedback is to respond to the customer on the review site. Reply to their comment and let them know you are sorry for the inconvenience and that you will be reaching out to get more information about the experience. Again, this way you are showing that you take pride in how work is being done without taking the blame before you get all of the information.
Reach out to the customer directly
When a negative roofing customer review is brought to your attention, the best way to handle it is to pick up the phone. Words can often get misconstrued through reviews or emails so it is important to speak one-on-one with the customer. Taking time out of your day to actually call the customer can also provide some reassurance to them that the issue is important to you and you want them to have a pleasant experience.
The most important thing to remember to listen to the customer as they air their grievances. Once they have explained their side of the issue and their concerns, you can let them know that you are sorry they had an unpleasant experience and you want to make it right.
Rectify the problem
Once you have determined the complaint is legitimate, you can now start to address the issue. For example, if the customer had initially reached out to your roofing business to fix a leak, but the roof is still leaking, you want to send your crews back to look at the problem further. These types of issues might require a little more time than anticipated, but it is well worth it to ensure your work is top notch.
Unfortunately, not all complaints are due to quality of workmanship. More often than not grievances often have to do with late arrivals, unprofessional behavior for the production crews or even messes that were left behind. When dealing with these kinds of issues, a lot of industry leaders have different approaches. Some offer incentives like discounts on future work, sending gift cards or providing partial refunds on labor costs.
Ask the customer to update their review
After you have worked with the customer to resolve the previous problems, it is important to circle back to the initial negative review. There are a few ways you can do this:
- Ask the customer to remove the review. After you have reached a solution to the issue, you should touch base with the customer about them removing the negative review for the site and asking them to leave a positive one.
- Have the customer update the review. Surprisingly, it can be more beneficial to have someone update the review instead of removing it altogether. The customer can edit the review to show that the problem was straightened out and that they were happy with the help they received.
- Reply to the review. If the customer doesn’t remove or edit the review, you can handle it yourself. You can respond to the review addressing how you amended the problem, hope they are happy and if they have any other concerns to let you know.
As we mentioned previously, these techniques show your potential customers that you care.
Taking pride in your brand and work is incredibly important when it comes to showing customers that you care about the finished product. Jobba offers a number of tools to help you and your employees stay on top of every project to help reduce the chances of any unsatisfied customers. Discover the features that industry leaders swear by!
Interested in reading what Jobba users have to say? Download our Voice of Our Users eBook today to see why so many roofing contractors choose Jobba as the roofing software to help grow their business!
