IGNORING BAD ONLINE REVIEWS CAN DAMAGE AGENTS’ REPUTATION AND LOSE POTENTIAL INSTRUCTIONS

Despite the massive growth on online reviews, agents are still handling bad reviews  inappropriately, which is resulting in a damaged reputation and loss of potential instructions, according to Chatty Imp, specialists in delivering social media campaigns in the property market.

According to recent research from search agency BrightLocal, more people are reading reviews on a regular basis (50% vs. 33% in 2015), with 91% of consumers regularly, or occasionally, reading online reviews.

Their survey also shows that 84% of people trust online reviews, as much as a personal recommendation, 90% of consumers read less than 10 reviews before forming an opinion about a business and 74% of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more.  A further 58% of consumers say that the star rating of a business is most important.

Google is also placing more emphasis on reviews and ratings. The search engine recently took the step of displaying reviews and ratings from trusted third-party review sites within a businesses’ Local Knowledge Panel, which appear underneath the information that has been submitted to the Google Business Page, titled ‘Reviews from the web’.

Peter Watson, Managing Director of Chatty Imp comments: “Unfortunately, bad reviews are a fact of life for agents. There will always be occasions when a client is unhappy about the service they have received and will take to the net to complain about their experience.

“The important thing for agents to remember, is how they respond to the bad review is very public.  Potential new clients will check out reviews and look at how bad reviews are handled.  This gives them an indication of how good the agent’s customer service is.

“If an agent handles a review inappropriately, it can damage their reputation and lose potential new instructions. So it pays to take the time to handle a complaint in a professional and fair way, replying promptly to stop the issue from escalating.  It is also worth asking the disgruntled reviewer to send more details in a private message, to remove the issue from the public eye.

“Online reviews offer a great opportunity agents to enhance their reputation online and convince potential vendors to make contact. They can also be used across all on and offline marketing channels, including social media. We incorporate positive reviews in our campaigns, highlighting the most positive ones, along with specific testimonials which mention excellent service provided by staff members.”

Chatty Imp is an independent social media agency, with offices in Lincoln and Cambridge.   Chatty Imp builds strategic campaigns to help estate agents connect with those looking to sell their property through targeted, social media marketing. By doing nothing but social media, Chatty Imp understands what is working and what isn’t, therefore maximising the ROI for its clients. Chatty Imp creates the most advanced social media advertising sequence used in the estate agent market, with a proven track record.

For further information, please visit www.chattyimp.com or call 01522 716171.

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Homes on spooky street names like ‘bat’ and ‘hell’ sell for far above the national average

The Halloween street names that cost a fortune to live on A new study has determined which Halloween-themed streets are the most expensive to live on.  Streets with the word ‘bat’ in the name face an increase of 188.6% from the national average house price in the UK.  Streets that include the words ‘cauldron’ or…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Why Mortgages Shouldn’t Only Be Accessible for 9–5 Workers

As the modern workforce evolves, mortgage lending criteria are struggling to keep up. Across the UK, thousands of people who earn outside of traditional employment, from content creators and freelancers to contractors and entrepreneurs, are finding themselves locked out of the housing market, despite having stable and often high incomes. According to James Enos, National…
Read More
Breaking News

Property Sector is in ‘Wait and See’ Mode

Commenting on how the property sector is fully in ‘wait and see’ mode ahead of the Autumn Statement, Daniel Austin, CEO and co-founder at ASK Partners, said: “With the Autumn Statement looming, the property market remains in ‘wait and see’ mode. Buyers are pausing, and developers are holding back amid uncertainty over potential tax changes…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Rightmove streamlines tenant move-in journey with Renter Checklist

The UK’s largest property platform Rightmove has launched a new checklist for renters, streamlining the process of moving into a new rental home. The checklist guides tenants through each part of the rental process, from finding a property to picking up the keys. The new Renter Checklist is available now in My Rightmove, where people…
Read More
Breaking News

Industry Reaction to Renters’ Rights Bill Becoming Law

The Renters’ Rights Act has officially received Royal Assent, marking one of the most significant reforms to England’s private rented sector in decades. The new law will ban Section 21 no-fault evictions, replace fixed-term tenancies with open-ended agreements, cap rent increases, and introduce tougher property standards under the updated Decent Homes Standard. It also paves…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Rightmove data and commentary as Renters’ Rights gets Royal Assent

The UK’s largest property platform Rightmove shares data and commentary on the rental market as the Renters’ Rights Bill finally gets Royal Assent and becomes law. Key market data The average advertised rent of homes outside of London has reached a new record of £1,385 per calendar month (pcm). Average rents outside of London are…
Read More