The internet has changed the way we do business. In the past, companies could rely on word-of-mouth to build their reputation. But today, potential customers are more likely to research a business online before using its services.
No matter where your company falls on the aging care spectrum, it's crucial to have an excellent online reputation.
Why?
Because your potential customers—family caregivers and seniors—are searching for you and reading reviews on Google and Facebook.
They may have heard of you from a friend or colleague, saw your ad in a local publication or maybe attended a local event your company sponsored. Whatever the source, they’re now looking at your company trying to decide if it’d be a good fit for them.
Or perhaps they’re leaving one provider and want to see if your company will be an improvement. You can never be too sure where someone may be in their decision-making journey, so you want to do everything you can to optimize your reputation.
Choosing a senior care provider is not only a financial investment; it’s a care decision that affects more than one life. Potential clients want to ensure they’re putting their trust into a reputable business that goes above and beyond for those in their care. A bad online reputation could convey that the service isn’t going to meet their standards.
So, how do you manage your online reputation? Here are some tips:
- Monitor what’s being said about your business online.
- Respond quickly and professionally to both negative and positive reviews.
- Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews.
- Create a solid social media presence.
The importance of having an excellent online reputation as a senior care business
Your online reputation is vital because it’s one of the first things potential customers will see when searching for your business. A good reputation can help attract new customers while a bad one can drive them away.
There are a few reasons why your online reputation is so important:
People trust reviews from strangers as an unbiased and straightforward source of truth. 84% of people say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations from friends and family.
Online reviews are often the deciding factor in whether or not someone does business with you. For example, 94% of consumers say they’re less likely to do business with a company with negative online reviews.
Negative reviews can be costly. A single negative review can cost you 30 customers on average.
Good customer service is no longer enough to create a competitive advantage—you also need an excellent online reputation. Most consumers say they’re more likely to do business with a company with positive customer reviews even if it costs more money.
What can happen if you have a bad online reputation?
A bad online reputation can cost you customers, revenue and business. Here are some of the ways that a bad online reputation can hurt your business:
You could lose customers. As we mentioned above, negative reviews can be costly. One study found that companies lose an average of 30 customers for every negative review they receive. And it's not just potential customers whose bad reviews will turn them off—current customers are also likely to take their business elsewhere if they see negative comments about your company online.
You could make less money. Not only will you lose existing customers, but you'll also have a hard time attracting new ones. Conversely, businesses with positive customer reviews experience revenue growth almost 10 times higher than businesses with negative reputations.
You could face legal ramifications. If you ignore negative reviews or try to cover them up, you could face legal action. In addition, if someone leaves a false negative review about your business, you may be able to take them to court for defamation.
Your employees could suffer. A bad online reputation can also take a toll on your employees. In addition to dealing with angry customers, they’ll most likely be the ones handling complaints from family members. Your company may also experience a decrease in team morale and an increase in employee turnover.
You could lose your business. In some extreme cases, a bad online reputation can lead to the demise of your business altogether. For example, if customers stop doing business with you and your revenue starts to decline, you may not be able to stay afloat.
What can happen if you have no online reputation?
A company without any reviews or online reputation can raise a lot of red flags. It may show that the company is new and has zero experience, it has a negative reputation because no one bothered to leave a review, or that they’re hiding something.
Here are some tips on getting your first reviews:
Ask your leadership staff. When trying to get your first reviews online, a great place to turn to is your existing leadership staff. They should have a solid understanding of brand messaging, what’s most important to the company, and its values. The leadership team will probably also be more willing to provide a positive review of the company, and it’s best to only ask those you believe are happy with the company.
Ask your current clients. Every business should have brand champions, the individuals who love the company and want to help it succeed. When first building your reputation, reach out to those who have given you praise in the past. Contact them directly and let them know that you’re working hard to build up your online presence and that their feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Tips for managing your online reputation
The first step to managing your online reputation is to monitor what’s being said about your business online. You can do this by setting up Google Alerts for your company name and key phrases related to your business.
This will notify you whenever someone mentions you online, so you can quickly address any negative reviews or comments.
Respond quickly and professionally to negative reviews.
When you receive a negative review, responding quickly and professionally is essential. Thank the customer for their feedback and offer a solution to the problem.
Take the conversation offline to resolve the issue without affecting your public reputation.
Encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews.
It's just as essential to encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews as to address negative ones.
You can do this by asking customers for their feedback or providing an incentive to leave a review (i.e. a discount on specified services). Making this process fast and as painless as possible will help encourage more users to complete it.
Create a solid social media presence.
Social media is a powerful tool for managing your online reputation. By creating informative and engaging content, you can build a positive image of your business that will attract new customers and followers.
Your social media accounts should provide a clear image of what you do (showcase your business and the gap it fills), what you care about (highlight your core values), and what you know (educate your audience with helpful information).
Posting at a regular cadence is important not only from a social platform’s algorithm standpoint, but also keeps you top of mind when your audience needs services you provide. Additionally, be sure to maintain all HIPPA policies when posting anything to social media.
How to deal with a negative review
When you receive a negative review, paying attention to the problem is essential. But, unfortunately, this will only make the situation worse. Instead, it would be best if you addressed the issue head-on.
Address the issue head-on.
The best way to address a negative review is to respond quickly and professionally. Thank the customer for their feedback and apologize for any inconvenience they may have experienced. Then, offer a solution to the problem.
Offer a solution.
If you can offer a solution to the problem, do so. This shows you're willing to go above and beyond to solve the issue. It also shows that you're committed to providing excellent customer service.
Take the conversation offline.
Take the conversation offline. This allows you to resolve the issue without it being public knowledge. It also allows you to build a relationship with the customer and turn them into a satisfied repeat customer.
Online review responses for senior care
We scoured Google business pages from all over Texas and ’found some highly effective ways to handle customer reviews.
Here are a few online review response templates for senior care professionals to consider.
Negative review response from the owner:
Greetings Mr. _______,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience while visiting our community. I apologize that during your visit with _____ that you had the impression of being potentially short on staff. I understand and share your concern as we always strive to have the appropriate staffing levels to ensure the highest quality of care for our beloved residents. We are truly grateful that we do have a full team of amazing, qualified care associates that allows us to staff appropriately. We would love the opportunity to speak with you more regarding this instance to help ensure that it is an isolated incident moving forward. Please feel free to reach out to us at ___-___-____ to discuss this or any additional feedback. Thank you again for your review, and we do hope we have the pleasure of hosting you again so we may have the opportunity to present the high standards that we hold for __________.
We love this response because the company not only took the time to give an in-depth reply, but they also reiterated their core values. Any reader will immediately see all the amazing things this business has to offer.
Negative review response from the owner:
Hi _____, we take your comments seriously and have shared them with our corporate management team for their review. We hope you will reach out to us at ___-___-_____ to discuss these concerns. Thank you.
Not every response has to be a long one. When responding to a negative review, it can be helpful to de-escalate the situation by acknowledging the complaint and redirecting it offline.
Next, we have some examples of how to respond to positive reviews:
Positive review response from the owner:
Thank you for sharing such kind, genuine words, ______. We are so happy to hear that you had such a great experience with everyone on our team.
Many companies only focus on responding to negative reviews. However, responding to positive reviews is an extra step that can go a long way in maintaining your online reputation.
Positive review response from the owner:
______, we are honored to have earned this amazing review! We love enhancing the lives of those we serve, and we are thankful for our wonderful residents, like your ______, and their supportive family, like yourself. We appreciate everyone's trust in our team members, and we are grateful for the opportunity to support our residents. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us!
Here you can see the owner went above and beyond to reiterate their values and ensure that their resident’s family members feel valued and seen.
Conclusion
As a senior care business, you’re not just a business: You are a solution to an issue that care decisionmakers are facing every day. What’s said online—negative or positive—just may be the deciding factor in the buyer’s journey.
To manage your online reputation effectively, it's essential to monitor what’s being said about your business online, respond quickly and professionally to negative reviews, encourage satisfied customers to leave positive reviews, and create a solid social media presence.
If you receive a negative review, don't ignore the problem—address it head-on and offer a solution. You may even turn the negative thought into a positive one by showing that you're listening and taking the conversation offline.
Following these simple tips can protect and improve your brand reputation while also building valuable trust in caregivers and their families that your services can and will deliver.