The Review That Matters Most Is Written After the Money Comes Back
Many of you reading this will think that the vast majority of digital businesses live and die by their reviews, and we admit you certainly have a point. What we do need to talk about, however, is the fact that not all reviews are created equally. This isn’t to say that some customers and clients are less important than others, but rather that the timing of a review relative to the transaction journey is crucial.
With that in mind, it’s time to show you that the end of the transaction is typically the best moment to judge a digital business, and that reviews written then carry the most weight.
Readers can spot degrees of honesty
A review that seems to have been bought into the initial hype of a marketing campaign, or that has clearly been left by a fan, is not as useful to the reader as one left by a verified buyer. Whether it’s a successful sale or a sale that resulted in a customer refund, what the reviewer posts will be more significant to the reader. Why? Because they will be talking about their experience after their initial excitement has worn off. This is where honesty takes over as hype and enthusiasm fade.
People expect to see plenty of positive reviews
If someone is already reading a brand’s reviews, they have already entered the marketing funnel simply by hearing about it and taking action. They expect to see positive reviews, and many of us often go no further than the first two or three entries before making a mental note of the total number of 5-star ratings. We do this because we assume that the business has something to offer. Otherwise, we wouldn’t be looking in the first place, but then virtually all of us begin to dig deeper.
Negative reviews complete the picture
Once any business gets big enough, there will naturally come times when not everything goes to plan. Consumers know this, business owners know this, and the market as a whole knows this. The point here is that even if 99.99% of the reviews are positive, we will all be naturally drawn to the tiny proportion of negative reviews to see the full picture of how the business operates from beginning to end.
Yes, there will be cases where a 1-star review has clearly been left by a bot, a troll, or by someone who has declined to add a message, in which case these are typically of little or no value. What human buyers are looking for are details about things like quality control, customer service, and the overall refund experience. They want to know that, while 100% success can never be guaranteed, the business will go to great lengths to ensure issues are solved, and satisfaction is maximized.
What can we learn from a descriptive negative review?
The refund experience is the key thing here. The speed, the level of transparency, and any sources of friction are likely to be elaborated here, whereas great service is often glossed over in a positive review. The reviewer is letting out some frustration, as many of us do at times, but they will generally be fair and accurate if they feel they have been treated fairly. For this to be the case, businesses must ensure they keep every promise they make.
The importance of promises
Buyers are human beings who will know all too well from their jobs and careers that mistakes happen, and that returns occur, but they want to be able to get things sorted without stress. A low-scoring review that reads like a balanced account of what you did to fix the situation will often make a far more authentic impression on a prospective customer than yet another polished marketing campaign. For this to happen, you need to do small things like replying when you say you will, making timeframes transparent, and maintaining a clear communication channel.
If, however, the low-scoring review reads like a personal attack, rant, or even a plea for someone higher up within the organization to get involved, it is clear that the necessary chain of promises has been broken. Promises being kept show that marketing and sales talk ends and customer service quickly takes over after the initial purchase.
Customer service as a trust-building service
A fair refund, actioned and delivered in a timely manner, can actually turn disappointment into loyalty. This is especially important for those awkward instances when a repeat customer finds themselves less than impressed by a subsequent delivery. The customer journey should never end at the checkout, but the reality is that e-commerce reviews often change after delivery or a refund because this rule of business isn’t followed, and it’s not just e-commerce.
Apply the same idea to gambling: Canadian casino reviews written after an actual withdrawal reveal something completely different from first-impression ratings. If the withdrawal was stressful, time-consuming, and the writer of the review had to chase, they would be unhappy and prepared to vent that frustration online. The operator has not repaid their trust with timely payment, and trust is virtually impossible to repair when so many competitors are available next time.
Closing thought
Anyone who wants to know what a brand is really like and how the team behind it actually operates should read the one or two reviews posted after the money came back. The fact that there may be many more positive reviews and low-scoring reviews is not enough to build confidence: you need to see how customers are treated when things don’t go to plan. This is why these are the reviews that really count.
