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Yelp Says Your Service Stinks – And Job Seekers Believe Them

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If 4 out of 5 people told you that “company x” was horrible, would you consider doing business with them?  Of course not, why take the risk, right? 

For better or worse, review sites like Yelp, Google Reviews, Glassdoor, TripAdvisor, Urban Spoon and others are shaping where we decide to eat, what hotel we stay at, and yes, what staffing and recruiting firm we choose to use.  Your online reputation can strongly influence potential candidates and clients. 

The bad news: Negative reviews can DESTROY you! 
I don’t want to sound too overdramatic but it’s true–negative reviews can destroy your reputation.  In fact, a recent study conducted by Dimensional Research found that 86% of people report their purchase decision was swayed by a negative review. 

The good news: Positive reviews DRIVE RESPONSE.
While the research shows the crippling effect of negative reviews, positive reviews were seen as even more powerful!  The study found that 90% of respondents reported a positive review influenced their purchase decision.

Reviews-Purchase-Decisions
The key takeaway: You need a proactive plan to build positive reviews.

In Staffing, You Need a Plan to Deal with People You Can’t Place.

It’s the people you can’t place that become your toughest critics. They might not be the right cultural fit or simply lack the skills and experience your clients need. Unfortunately, these people are typically the most vocal. Across the industry we see less than flattering reviews (sometimes even scathing reviews) from candidates that simply can’t be placed.

To insulate yourself and protect your online brand image, you need a plan to build positive reviews. The best way to combat negative, unfair and sometimes irreverent reviews, is to bury them with positive ones.

Here’s how you should get started:

Gather your baseline.
Do research to determine where you currently stand. Start with the following sites to see if you have positive or negative reviews:
– Yelp
– Google Reviews
– Indeed.com
– Glassdoor.com
– Facebook
– Better Business Bureau
– Citysearch

You may find that you have no reviews on these sites, which in some cases can be as damning as negative reviews.

Claim your listing.
For many review sites (not all), you can claim your listing. For sites like Yelp, Google and Facebook, make sure your listing/page is claimed and verified. Add professional images, logos, etc. Ensure all contact information is correct and looks professional.

Respond to feedback.
If you do have recent reviews, take a moment to respond to those when appropriate. Don’t hide from negative comments. Thank the person for their feedback, and show how you will use this feedback to better your services and processes. Ask the person to continue the conversation offline so that you can better solve their problem. Addressing the feedback head-on will show others that you care and are sincere about offering the best possible service. That stated, try to avoid engaging in a back and forth dialogue online. Address the concern once and then take the conversation offline.

Get proactive about building reviews.
Getting positive reviews can be easier said than done. It takes a good game plan. Build a process where you ask for feedback after the interview, after a placement, etc. You want to be sure not to only focus on the candidates/clients that you know are happy. Gather feedback from everyone and provide a forum where people can share criticism too. If they can tell you what’s wrong directly, they may not feel the need to tell the world through Yelp or Google.

[WARNING SALES PITCH COMING]

At Haley Marketing, we have actually developed a specific technology platform to help staffing companies build positive online reviews and limit negative reviews at the same time. Learn more about our reputation management program

Monitor your reviews.
In order to protect your reputation, you need to know what’s being said. Set up alerts using services like Google Alerts and SocialMention that notify you when someone mentions your company or your name. This way you can respond in a timely and appropriate manner before things go viral!

Ready to build more positive reviews?
Give us a call! Our new service will help you build a strong online reputation. You’ll see results within days! We will help you stop negative comments and get more positive reviews. Contact us today to learn more.

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