6 Ways Auto Body and Repair Shops Can Get More and Better On-Line Reviews

1. Pay attention to the reviews you already have: It may sound obvious, but you can't generate good reviews (at least not legally) unless you have happy customers to write them. No amount of asking for user reviews or soliciting feedback will help compensate for a bad first impression. Start by making sure to resolve any issues that particularly bother your customers if you possibly can.
2. Respond quickly to bad reviews: Resist the urge to defend your company, product, or employee, an approach that almost always makes things worse. The key is not to fire back at the customer, the key is to examine the problem and resolve it. Also, if a bad review is warranted, thank the customer for the review and apologize for the bad experience. We find customers will often go back and update a negative review once the issue has been resolved, so you can turn a negative into a positive if you act quickly.
3. Consider asking for reviews: Not good reviews -- just reviews - and not until the end of the transaction. You don't want to be pushy, but after you've repaired their vehicle, it makes sense to ask that they provide feedback on their experience. Use QR Codes, email, text messaging or a simple handout requesting the customer provide you with feedback.
4. Make your Web presence known: "If your customers are under 30 (the most likely to be in an accident and tech saavy), encouraging them to post a review may turn them off. Instead, simply engage them in the online world via Facebook, Twitter, Google+, QR codes and other on-line. Utilize signage in your lobby, on your counter or QR Codes on your invoice or documentation. Customers in this age bracket are so accustomed to posting online about every experience they have, they'll almost certainly share their thoughts about your product or service without any prompting.
5. Remember, it's a numbers game: The more reviews you get, the more likely you are to get one or more bad reviews. Even if you are providing the best service you can, some people will tend to complain. So your goal should be a large number of mostly good reviews. If you get 10 reviews and seven are good ones and three are bad, that's a lot better than one good or bad review!
6. Make reviewing as easy as possible: Include review options during and after the repair process. Inform the consumer when they arrive at your location all of the different ways they can provide feedback. Create a "Give us your feedback" document you can give to the consumer when they drop their vehicle off. Include review links during your email or text based repair process updates. Have QR codes in your lobby that link to your review pages! Send the consumer a follow up email or text message after the repair asking for a review. Remember to provide the consumer with choices.

**Blog written by Frank Terlep, CEO of eMarketing Sherpas**