How to Choose the Right Feedback & Reviews Management Software for Your Company

With our current technology today, more and more people can react and give their opinions on certain products and services. To make sure that you don’t miss out on what people are saying about your business, it is high time that you consider looking into a feedback management system.

Having software that can manage customer feedback and reviews can ensure that you are constantly aware of your customers’ perceptions on your company’s services and products. You can immediately pinpoint areas of improvement and address urgent issues to avoid losing out potential clients. This encourages responsiveness and proactivity on your side, which can build trust between you and your consumers. Such trust can impact your sales positively as shown by a 2019 survey done by Edelman.

There are various customer feedback software available on the internet, so you might want to evaluate your processes first to determine which tools and features you would need for your business. Without a clear understanding of what your company needs, you might find yourself at a loss with which application would suit you best.

Here are ways on how to choose the right one for you.

1. Read Reviews Researching beforehand is the first and easiest step in determining which ones are the best for your company. With the help of the internet, you can read or listen to what other business owners can say about the software.
   
   Reviews that relay first-hand experiences in using the software can give you an idea of what to expect if ever you choose to install one. Avoid checking reviews on the website of the products itself so that you can gather honest opinions and impressions. You can also check out applications discovery and review sites to find out the best feedback and reviews management software available.
   
   From there, you can check for unifying sentiments towards the product and decide which ones to try out. Weigh in the cons and pros and think about which ones you think will be more compatible to your company’s needs.
2. Evaluate the Tools Available

   Each software has their own sets of customer feedback tools that cater to the different needs of businesses. Keep in mind that having more tools doesn’t necessarily mean the software is better than the others. Sometimes, this can make the application confusing and more difficult to master.
   
   Think about what your business needs, what type it is, its audience, its niche and its size. No software is a one-size fits all so take your time in comparing their features and see how it can impact your company.
   
   Consider features that run surveys like CSAT (Customer Satisfaction Survey), NPS (Net Promoter Score), and CES (Customer Effort Score). These surveys track users’ experience and impressions on your company’s services. The data from them do not only measure performance of your customer support team but can be used to drive better results for your business and foster relationships with your clients.

3. Must Support Multi-Platform and Multi-Channel Usage
   With the various channels and platforms for communication available, it is important that your review management platform is flexible and accessible enough to reach out to your consumers. The internet provides a wide audience so you should think about investing in your online reputation and choose an application that can cater to that. In fact, a Spiegel study discovered that products with positive reviews online get 270% chances of getting bought by consumers.
   
   Administering surveys through SMS can come in handy, too. In fact, people tend to open more text messages through SMS than emails. This opens up to more chances of engaging with your customers and learning more about their impressions on your services.
4. Checkout Available Integrations

   Customized and extensible customer feedback management platforms can give you that more rounded experience when it comes to using the software. With the freedom to integrate other third-party applications, the solution can fill the gaps in your needs and ensure that they are met.
   
   For example, integrating them with the best virtual team communication tools of 2020 can give you added benefits into the system. Through it, you can automate sending surveys to other communication apps, collect responses and have them condensed into reports.
   
   Having that ability to connect with other apps can streamline your business’ workflow when it comes to handling your customers, and it can enrich your experience with the software

5. Consider Ease of Use

   No company would like to waste too much time and effort in understanding how to use a single software. By making them navigable for beginners, anyone can jump right into the task of managing reviews without having to train people again and again.
   
   It is important that its functions and interface are easy to comprehend so that you can get results faster and more efficiently. This can also lessen chances of encountering hitches that may cause problems along the way.Consider also how long the installation process and set up can take. Getting stuck in the first step even before you can actually use it could cause delays and waste resources on your part.

6. Compare Pricing

   Budget constraints are inevitable to any company looking for the right feedback and review management software, and pricing can differ depending on the type of plan, tools and services they have.

   Compare prices to figure out which ones are the most cost-effective. Likewise, bring them side by side with the features and tools it offers to see if it’ll be worth your money. Don’t hesitate to try out free trials to see which one is the perfect fit in consideration of your budget.

7. Reach Out to Customer Support

   Just as how you want to be there for your customers, the right software must be equally dependable as well. If things get a little rocky with the application, it would be great if you can get support from the software’s developers.

   Choose applications that provide several ways to contact them. There are those that offer live support online or through phone or both. Some offer webinars or online training upon installation. Having a responsive and reliable customer support ensures that issues can be resolved if ever they come up. It can also keep your system secured in the long run.

8. Listen to Your Customers

   Feedback from customers, whether good or bad, fosters growth and development for your business. It is how you identify its strengths and weaknesses and help you make decisions on the direction you plan to take in the future.

   Thus, having the right customer feedback and review management software is essential in making sure that you are aware of your company’s reputation among its consumers. Through it, you can identify areas of improvements and act on them immediately. This, in turn, can help you protect your brand and lessen negative comments that can crucially impact your business. In fact, a study from Moz showed that bad reviews can drive away 22% of prospects. By knowing their needs and readily meeting their demands, you can reel in more customers and foster long-term relationships with them.

There are many review management applications to choose from nowadays. Each of them offers unique experiences and different sets of tools for their users. Finding the best software may be a grueling task, but just keep in mind the following tips, and it won’t be long before you find the right one for your company.