Gallery
Reviews (also known as testimonials) are used everywhere today from helping us to shop, eat out, choose a plumber or pretty much everything else that requires a decision! The power of the internet has enabled everybody to have a voice and share an opinion (something we have been doing from the dawn of our own existence).
Customer reviews are here to stay and offer a real world experience of the product or service, something no marketing or advertising can provide on its own. Reviews are often the final decision maker in our emotional choosing and purchasing of a product.
See the stats from around the web:
87% of Potential Customers Won’t Consider Businesses With Low Ratings - http://searchengineland.com
Data Reveals 67% of Consumers are Influenced by Online Reviews - https://moz.com
90% Of Customers Say Buying Decisions Are Influenced By Online Reviews - marketingland.com
88% Of Consumers Trust Online Reviews As Much As Personal Recommendations - http://searchengineland.com
How they benefit the consumer
For me personally reviews are like a guarantee of pre-purchase. I recently needed to buy a bag I could use for my work. I needed something that looked smart enough to take to sales meetings, but I wanted something I could take around with me, as I tend to do a lot of walking around Cambridge. Using the online reviews I was able to make my purchase quickly and find the right bag that suited me.
The reviews also helped in the decision of where to buy the bag from. Many people now rate the customer service levels of the distributor and sales person, so although the product might be great, if the person or business selling it isn’t up to scratch, they will soon know about it! The power of social media is forcing businesses to up their game!
I cannot stress how important customer reviews are to a business. As more and more people are now shopping online or even just looking online before physically walking to a store, they are reading more and more reviews. Good or bad, reviews are becoming more important in the emotional decision we put on a purchase. Looks and official marketing information alone are now not enough. People will often seek other opinions before making a final decision or be swayed to try elsewhere (cafe or restaurant).
Customer reviews are not just about the products you sell, but about the whole experience. If the customer service is not up to scratch or the premises not clean enough, you can almost guarantee somebody will comment about it online.
How you use this information can be very powerful to the success of your business. The reviews are literally free regular customer research surveys! They tell you where you are doing well and what might need improving. They can improve your emotional mood and motivate you to be the best you can be. Reviews can drive your business forward and sell your business for you. They can be very effective marketing tools!
“Building a strong base of positive reviews now will help protect against any negative reviews down the road.” - moz.com
Yes, it is true, a majority of the customer reviews found on thebestof Cambridge are 4 and 5 stars. No, the reviews listed have not been faked and poor reviews are not hidden.
We only support local businesses that are doing a good job and want to grow their business, this is the reason why you will only find a majority of great reviews. Our business members try really hard at what they do best, running their own business and for this reason they are listed as the best in Cambridge.
If you think you might know a local business that deserves the accolade that thebestof Cambridge can offer, please get in touch at cambridge@thebestof.co.uk - We would love to get in touch with them.
