Construction Chat is a weekly chat on Thursday mornings at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time. If you’re free, we’d love you to join us.
Reputation Management
This week’s topic is brought to us by our co-host, Bethany Michaels, an independent social media expert in the construction industry.
We were really thankful to have her.
If any of you have any other questions about content management, please email me! I'm here to chat bethm1687(at)gmail(dot)com #ConstChat
— Bethany Michaels (@Baby_B_Fresh) April 30, 2015
Q1: In this computer age, how important do you think online reputation is becoming?
A1: Very important. Something like 97% of people research companies online. #ConstChat
— FastenMaster (@FastenMaster) April 30, 2015
A1. Online reputation is very important! #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) April 30, 2015
A1 Critical. Everyone gets their name Googled by companies, friends—can't be overstated #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
A1 – it is almost everything – if it is bad why should I buy or much less trust you #constchat
— Sean Lintow Sr. (@The_HTRC) April 30, 2015
A1. Reputation is extremely important. It is your brand voice. #ConstChat
— Zircon Corporation (@ZirconTools) April 30, 2015
A1 Vitally important. Nearly everyone does online research before doing business #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) April 30, 2015
a1) It's so important! Ppl are using mobile devices to look up businesses instead of yellow pages. Online presence is key. #ConstChat
— Bethany Michaels (@Baby_B_Fresh) April 30, 2015
A1: Online reputation is becoming ever ubiquitous with ROI; Online reviews can make or break you #business #constchat
— URETEK Holdings, Inc (@URETEKHoldings) April 30, 2015
A1: Online reputation is your business card of today. People check out and asses you as a professional. #ConstChat
— Infinity Pools Texas (@InfinityPoolsTX) April 30, 2015
A1 @RigginsConst In Soc Med "you are what you talk about" it is important to focus in on topics and take care how you respond. #constchat
— BSB Design (@BSBDesign) April 30, 2015
A1: sorry I'm late! Online rep is extremely important. Even my grandmother checked a company out online! #constchat
— TecHome Casey (@TecHomeCasey) April 30, 2015
Q2: Is online reputation becoming the new customer service?
A2 No, but your customer service will affect +/- your online reputation #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) April 30, 2015
A2 – no, the first is… lets say presale, the second is actual follow through. With that, fail at either and both can suffer #constchat
— Sean Lintow Sr. (@The_HTRC) April 30, 2015
A2: People still want to talk to a person but it assists in creating brand transparency. #ConstChat
— FastenMaster (@FastenMaster) April 30, 2015
A2. The new online reputation denotes one's brand in many respects. @RigginsConst #ConstChat
— Zircon Corporation (@ZirconTools) April 30, 2015
A2 No, I'm not sure they're the same. Lot's of customer service happening on so me though #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
A2. Yes, the way to get a big brand's reputation is to tweet at them, often. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) April 30, 2015
Yes, it isn't necessarily your #customerservie, but dictates what you say/do on it. @RigginsConst #ConstChat
— Zircon Corporation (@ZirconTools) April 30, 2015
A2: Customer service is still extremely valuable in a traditional sense, but online rep is carving a new, user-generated space #constchat
— URETEK Holdings, Inc (@URETEKHoldings) April 30, 2015
Compaints are now regularly posted to corporate FB pages #ConstChat
— Granite Division (@GraniteDiv) April 30, 2015
You have to address customer service issues from clients online, social media, etc can't ignor or delete it #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) April 30, 2015
A2: Great CS leads to great online rep, online rep leads to great CS #business #constchat
— URETEK Holdings, Inc (@URETEKHoldings) April 30, 2015
A2: I think online presence has a customer service aspect. We interact with current and former clients all the time on FB. #constchat
— Infinity Pools Texas (@InfinityPoolsTX) April 30, 2015
#ConstChat RT @RigginsConst: A2: They work together. Social media is transparent, customer service is not 1 to 1, it's now 1 to many.
— BSB Design (@BSBDesign) April 30, 2015
Q3: How do you feel about outsourcing online reputation management?
A3: Concerned that it could lack authenticity #ConstChat
— FastenMaster (@FastenMaster) April 30, 2015
Hold on while I stop laughing 😉 RT @RigginsConst: Q3: How do you feel about outsourcing online reputation management? #ConstChat
— Sean Lintow Sr. (@The_HTRC) April 30, 2015
A3. A bigger brand may need to do that. Or if there's trouble. With a "T." #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) April 30, 2015
Hire a retired journalist. RT @RigginsConst Q3: How do you feel about outsourcing online reputation management? #ConstChat
— Granite Division (@GraniteDiv) April 30, 2015
A3: That's a tricky one, as an agency specializing in the industry, even we say no or don't take clients sometimes. #ConstChat
— Stoner Bunting (@StonerBunting) April 30, 2015
A3: No, nope, never. #constchat
— Infinity Pools Texas (@InfinityPoolsTX) April 30, 2015
A3: That can be tricky; make sure rep. manager understands company ethos, brand, etc. Outsourcing can be a boon or a folly. #constchat
— URETEK Holdings, Inc (@URETEKHoldings) April 30, 2015
It's a tough question. Good to have someone who has an intuitive sense of the brand in house #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
A3 noone knows your brand better than you, why would you put someone else in charge of managing your rep? #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) April 30, 2015
Definitely needs to be a trusted entity. @BlueSteeleTX #ConstChat
— Zircon Corporation (@ZirconTools) April 30, 2015
A3: IF you are going to outsource, your team needs to be experienced, understand the brand, and have a love for the produce. #ConstChat
— Stoner Bunting (@StonerBunting) April 30, 2015
Always impressed getting an instant response to customer service complaint / concern via Twitter. Awesome. #ConstChat
— Liftec Forklifts (@LiftecForklifts) April 30, 2015
A3: Discover advocates within your company; those who have passion for the brand and are SM/web savvy. #StartThere #constchat
— URETEK Holdings, Inc (@URETEKHoldings) April 30, 2015
@BlueSteeleTX @RigginsConst That's like outsourcing attending WordCamps. Total fail IMHO.
— Matt Cromwell (@learnwithmattc) April 30, 2015
A3: Having help is one thing but outsourcing it 100% is risky. One wrong tweet could tank your reputation. #constchat
— Infinity Pools Texas (@InfinityPoolsTX) April 30, 2015
Sometimes NOT outsourcing something means it doesn't get done so weigh your options #ConstChat
— Granite Division (@GraniteDiv) April 30, 2015
Depends. For example, companies have ad agencies and p.r. firms. They specialize. Can be a good thing. @FastenMaster #ConstChat
— Zircon Corporation (@ZirconTools) April 30, 2015
a3) If u do – make sure you have finances to do it and a clear vision. Get a strategy in place, first thing. #ConstChat
— Bethany Michaels (@Baby_B_Fresh) April 30, 2015
@RigginsConst A3 Risky business. 3rd party may not understand company as well, difficult to engage w customers. Tough to monitor. #constchat
— GRACE (@GraceGCP) April 30, 2015
Q4: What are some challenges you face when building your online reputation?
A4. Time and priorities. #ConstChat
— Zircon Corporation (@ZirconTools) April 30, 2015
A4 time, especially in the beginning when you're trying to, you know, start a business and make money 😉 #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
Going to point out the white elephant in the room. @Yelp drives me nuts! Their algorithm kills me. #ConstChat
— Bethany Michaels (@Baby_B_Fresh) April 30, 2015
A4. We jump through hoops to ensure great customer service, even tho' sometimes the customer isn't right. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) April 30, 2015
A4: Not enough time to create content. #ConstChat
— FastenMaster (@FastenMaster) April 30, 2015
Q5: Have you seen your online reputation affect your business sales?
A5 Yes, a lot of referrals coming as a result of our online rep being built with other companies #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
A5: We haven’t found a good way to measure this yet. Any suggestions? #ConstChat
— FastenMaster (@FastenMaster) April 30, 2015
A5. Not really. Our customers are pretty happy. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) April 30, 2015
A5: We've seen mostly positives: We've generated leads across FB, Twitter and Linkedin #constchat
— URETEK Holdings, Inc (@URETEKHoldings) April 30, 2015
A5: Yes!! In a huge way!! We've knocked down barriers to entry with our FB page. Helps our sales guys sell!! #constchat
— Infinity Pools Texas (@InfinityPoolsTX) April 30, 2015
A5: 100% – After we started using @HubSpot and other tools, there was literally a surge. Social media helps too. #constchat
— Stoner Bunting (@StonerBunting) April 30, 2015
A5: It feels great to have client say, "We found you on Linkedin; can you help me with this problem?" #Leadgeneration #constchat
— URETEK Holdings, Inc (@URETEKHoldings) April 30, 2015
A5 We have seen a bump in traffic but online presence still a work in progress. #ConstChat #SEO
— Liftec Forklifts (@LiftecForklifts) April 30, 2015
A5: Absolutely! Especially as a tech company in the industry, building a strong online reputation is very important! #constchat
— BigRentz.com (@BigRentz) April 30, 2015
A5: SM rep pushes indirect sales more that direct. It brings a company into an economic mindshare and works from there #constchat
— URETEK Holdings, Inc (@URETEKHoldings) April 30, 2015
Q6: Do you think it’s important to have a testimonials/reviews page on your website?
A6: For contractors who are our customers, yes. As a manufacturer testimonials work better on other sites besides our own. #ConstChat
— FastenMaster (@FastenMaster) April 30, 2015
A6 yes, 3rd party confirmation that you do good business is critical. People rely on reviews a lot these days #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
A6) Um YES! So crucial to build your brand, be transparent, and give consumers/businesses insight into WHO you are #ConstChat
— Bethany Michaels (@Baby_B_Fresh) April 30, 2015
A6. Yes, testimonials are great for sales. Happy customers are the best sales people! #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) April 30, 2015
@RigginsConst It is how to validate word of mouth from customer referrals #ConstChat
— Granite Division (@GraniteDiv) April 30, 2015
A6 I read somewhere recently that most people don't buy into testimonials on your website anymore #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) April 30, 2015
We are actively working on Google Reviews and looking at putting together a handout on HOW to do so for our clients #ConstChat
— Granite Division (@GraniteDiv) April 30, 2015
A6: We think so. Our website doesn't have a specific page of them but testimonials are weaved into our sites content. #constchat
— Infinity Pools Texas (@InfinityPoolsTX) April 30, 2015
To build credibility for our customers, we've started filming and giving them the videos for their own use. #ConstChat
— FastenMaster (@FastenMaster) April 30, 2015
Another suggestion was to simply ASK for them on your FB or Twitter pages. Duh! #ConstChat
— Granite Division (@GraniteDiv) April 30, 2015
I actually have an idea. Why don't you personally call clients that like u & ask for a review? It's an extra step, but worth it. #ConstChat
— Bethany Michaels (@Baby_B_Fresh) April 30, 2015
Late to the party, but A6: Testimonials are effective if they're recent! Don't want people only seeing feedback from 2010! #constchat
— GuildQuality (@GuildQuality) April 30, 2015
Q7: What review sites do you think are most relevant to have a presence on?
A7. Amazon. @RigginsConst #ConstChat
— Zircon Corporation (@ZirconTools) April 30, 2015
Depends on the company/product #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
a7) Unfortunately…Yelp comes up again. It's very important. I know so many users who frequent their site. #ConstChat
— Bethany Michaels (@Baby_B_Fresh) April 30, 2015
a7) I'll give you all a big hint: Google+ is crucial for reviews! It helps with your SEO ranking…so you are seen online more! #ConstChat
— Bethany Michaels (@Baby_B_Fresh) April 30, 2015
A7 Google is always relevant and always will be. The more power Google gains, the more clout their reviews hold #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
A7: Houzz, Yelp, Facebook, Angie's List are all good starters, plus any other SM sites you can realistically maintain. #ConstChat
— Stoner Bunting (@StonerBunting) April 30, 2015
A7: Houzz, G+, Facebook for us. #constchat
— Infinity Pools Texas (@InfinityPoolsTX) April 30, 2015
A7: Google+ is great for particular industries; we've had hit and miss results. But it's great to see others having success! #constchat
— URETEK Holdings, Inc (@URETEKHoldings) April 30, 2015
A7. When I want a local contractor, I ask in private Facebook groups. People are honest there. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) April 30, 2015
Google Plus got us on the map for SEO #ConstChat
— Granite Division (@GraniteDiv) April 30, 2015
A7: Twitter, G+, FB, and LinkedIn. Let's connect, everyone! #constchat #connect
— BigRentz.com (@BigRentz) April 30, 2015
I skipped and reworded a question so here the numbers in the answers don’t always match.
Q8: When a customer complains about your services, how do you respond?
A9: Promptly and honestly. #ConstChat
— FastenMaster (@FastenMaster) April 30, 2015
A8 ask them what happens, what went wrong, try to figure out if you can make it right #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
A8) Great question. We always pick up the phone and CALL. SM is great for positive reviews, but the phone is still our bff #ConstChat
— Stoner Bunting (@StonerBunting) April 30, 2015
A8: We literally have 100% satisfaction. If something isn't perfect we make it right. #constchat
— Infinity Pools Texas (@InfinityPoolsTX) April 30, 2015
A8. Usually, we have a "customer is always right" policy. (Even when they're wrong. lol) #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) April 30, 2015
A9 Make sure the response is quick. Be sure to LISTEN to the client first. And apologize. #ConstChat
— Bethany Michaels (@Baby_B_Fresh) April 30, 2015
Q9: How will you invest time in your online reputation?
@RigginsConst If you don't invest you'll get left in the dust #ConstChat
— Granite Division (@GraniteDiv) April 30, 2015
A9. Share on Google+, and add more customer "reviews" aka testimonials. #ConstChat
— Window Works CA (@WindowWorksCA) April 30, 2015
A10: Increased commitment to creating and promoting good content. #ConstChat
— FastenMaster (@FastenMaster) April 30, 2015
A9: More blog posts, asking more clients to review us online, cool videos! #constchat
— Infinity Pools Texas (@InfinityPoolsTX) April 30, 2015
A9: Find a balance for your brand, your clients and your potential prospects. Under promise and over deliver. #ConstChat
— Stoner Bunting (@StonerBunting) April 30, 2015
A9 we have one person who is in charge of a lot of social media, but we all monitor it to some extent and interact with customers #ConstChat
— BlueSteele Solutions (@BlueSteeleTX) April 30, 2015
@RigginsConst Have to find which platforms work best for you #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) April 30, 2015
Bonus Tweets:
@RigginsConst Thanks for allowing us to lurk/participate! Our first #ConstChat was great. We loved the insights and tips/tricks/ideas.
— Stoner Bunting (@StonerBunting) April 30, 2015
How to ask customers for reviews.
How to get reviews http://t.co/lk8aIzaB5r #ConstChat
— Granite Division (@GraniteDiv) April 30, 2015
Why customers don’t trust online testimonials.
http://t.co/eIj3wfpJTD #ConstChat
— Construction Data (@cdcnews) April 30, 2015