The majority of businesses using our platform utilize the proactive process of emailing their customers for feedback and online reviews. Did you know that Reputation Builder offers 3 different formats for your first feedback request email (or even just a review request email)?

We do, and each one has it’s own specific purpose – to get you customer feedback, a review or both.

Let’s look at the 3 options our platform offers for requests and show you how to enable or create each one so that you can get the most out of Reputation Builder.

1- Customer Feedback Request Default or “Classic” Version

This is the feedback request email format enabled in our platform by default when you first start your account with us. You can edit the subject line, content and branding of the feedback request.

DEFAULT REQUEST EXAMPLE

Main Focus: Get the customer to give feedback by clicking the GIVE FEEDBACK button.

Why: This version thanks your customers for their business, asks them for feedback and sends them to the customer feedback landing page where you can capture your NPS score, offer up survey questions and get customer feedback and comments that you can show in your Testimonial Widget. There is a reason why it is the default version in our platform – for most businesses it offers the maximum value.

Pros: What’s best about this version?

• This version gets you the most detailed feedback results from your customers
• You can capture your Net Promoter Score (NPS)
• Capture survey question scoring on price, service, results, etc.; you decide
• You will get 10x to 15x the amount of customer feedback vs reviews, and it is VERY valuable and provides you with WAY more insight than just reviews
• Generate customer testimonials and ratings to use on your website with the Testimonial Widget

Cons: There are a few steps to this process before asking for an online review.

Set-Up: This is the default feedback request email in our platform. Visit SETTINGS, then EMAIL TEMPLATES and then edit the very top template on that page. The default language is already there to use “as is” or you can customize your content. Make sure the tag of [provide feedback] remains for the GIVE FEEDBACK button to appear.

2- “Ratings Only” Feedback Request Version

As some customers asked for a more direct route to obtaining online reviews, we released the “ratings only” setting in the platform over a year ago. This version brings the Net Promoter Score question right into the feedback request email and puts your customer into the positive feedback flow (review links) or negative feedback flow in just one click. This version also does NOT ask the customer for their comments or feedback, so the only typing they do is to leave an online review.

RATINGS ONLY EXAMPLE

Main Focus: Quickly capture NPS and ask for an online review

Why: The best use for this version in our opinion is if you already have a great collection of customer testimonials and a strong NPS score. You already have valuable marketing content and know that you are exceeding customer expectations consistently. You want to reduce the steps and effort for your customer to leave an online review so you can make that happen in one click and then only ask for the effort of typing when writing a review on Google, Facebook or another site.

Pros: What’s best about this version?

• You capture your NPS score
• You still segment happy and unhappy customer flows
• You get customers to the review links fast, with just one click

Cons: You lose the ability to capture customer feedback – good or bad – that can help you identify a problem, help save a customer, get feedback to use in marketing or push positive testimonials to your website with our widget. You also can’t use the Survey Questions feature.

Set-up: The setting to enable the “Ratings Only” version is located under SETTINGS, then click on FEEDBACK SETTINGS. Scroll past the page templates and editors and you’ll see the group of settings. Check the “Ask For Rating Only” box.

Once checked, this replaces the GIVE FEEDBACK button in the feedback request template with the NPS questions and buttons. You do NOT have to edit the feedback request template to use this.

You may notice a sub-setting to this feature as well. This allows you to add a button below the online review site buttons in the positive flow so that a customer can give you direct feedback if they want, not just an online review. It’s a good idea to use this with this request version.

3- “Customer Choice” Request Version

This version allows you to ask for both online reviews and customer feedback in the very first email. This method puts the review choices and the customer feedback choice right up front and lets the customer decide which way to respond. We strongly caution that this version removes the ability to know if your customer is happy or not before asking for a review. This option is best for businesses with a NPS score and a track record of great customer relationships.

CUSTOMER CHOICE REQUEST VERSION

Main focus: Put review links right in front of your customer immediately and still offer a feedback route. We recommend this ONLY for business with a high NPS score.

Why: If your only focus is online reviews, this puts that process in its fastest route. As we mentioned above, there are risks in doing this that you must consider. With online review links being right in the feedback request email and a button to GIVE FEEDBACK, you have to hope that happy customers write a review and unhappy customers click to provide the feedback directly to you. But now we’re counting on “hope”. Beware.

Pros: What’s best about this version?

• The fastest way to request online reviews
• Review links in your very first email that follows up with the customer
• Unhappy customers hopefully uses GIVE FEEDBACK button instead of posting reviews directly on your Google, Facebook etc.  pages.

Cons: You can’t capture Net Promoter Score or segment your happy and unhappy customers. You run the risk of putting a frustrated customer in the position to write a bad review. You lose the ability to capture customer feedback, good or bad, that can help you identify a problem, help save your customer, use in all marketing or push positive testimonials to your website with our testimonials widget. You also can’t use the Survey Questions feature.

Set-Up: The Customer Choice Request Version requires you to customize the default feedback request version we outlined earlier in this post. Go to SETTINGS, then click on EMAIL TEMPLATES and edit the first feedback request template. As you can see from the customer facing example above you will want to change the content of the request to first request an online review (if they are happy) and secondarily request feedback (if they are unhappy).

You will use the [review links] tag in the email editor to add the online review sites you have selected in Reputation Builder.

We strongly recommend you work to find the right content to clearly outline what you are asking of the customer if you use this method. Making your intentions clear to obtain positive reviews is a must and making the customer aware where to direct complaints will help greatly. We give you an example of this in our example images, but you may need to add even more context and direction to this email request to truly maximize it and cover your bases.

Make The Right Request

More than anything, the fact you are asking your customers for feedback of any kind is a huge win. Most businesses fail to do this. Not you. We hope this post gives you a better understanding of the many options in Reputation Builder for requesting feedback and online reviews. Make an informed decision and get the most out of your customer’s opinion of your business. It truly matters.

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