Creating a Reviews Management Plan to Protect Your Home Care Company’s Online Reputation

Home care providers that create and leverage a reviews management plan will stand out against the competition and even attract new caregivers.

Surveys show that online reviews are highly influential on the decisions of customers. Most people check a company’s online reviews before they decide to use its services or products. In fact, 93% of customers said they trusted online reviews more than a recommendation from a friend or family member – and certainly over any advertising campaign. 

However, it’s equally important for home care providers to gather feedback from their clients and families periodically without relying solely on online reviews. Using home care software, like Smartcare’s Family Portal, allows your clients and their families to send instant feedback via a mobile app.

Collecting such information internally can help you improve your operations and performance while providing data and content you can display on your online channels. Alongside your internal feedback system, a reviews management plan for your online reputation will help you further strengthen your branding. 

Let’s take a look at the four main steps you can take to create a robust reviews management plan.

1. Leverage review sites or platforms

Claiming your business on Google My Business puts you on the radar, especially if you want to reach local clients. 

It’s not only a platform to display customer reviews, but it’s also a great way to showcase your company, improve your customer service, improve local SEO, and build your brand. 

A Google Business Profile displays all the essential information about your business, even when clients can’t find your website easily. For example, potential clients can see your phone number, company location, business hours, and web address.

It’s a good idea to be on more than one online review platform, as customers are usually familiar with various platforms. For example, Yelp is another popular review site where you can claim a business page.

It’s also important to check out where your competitors are listed and make sure you’re visible there, too – and to ensure you regularly check your business details on these platforms to keep them up-to-date.

2. Use the power of social media

While you have minimal control over external review sites, you are in charge of your own social media channels. This is where you have the power to create a positive environment and an authentic experience for your clients and families.

Actively sharing client testimonials, reviews and feedback on your social media channels can set an example for your other customers to leave comments on your page(s). If you truly offer excellent customer service and outstanding caregiver services, genuine feedback from your clients and their families will help you reach more people on social media.

In addition to providing inviting content, start by asking your staff and caregivers to leave feedback on your pages. This can help you get more recognition and encourage your existing clients and families to start doing the same. You can offer incentives, like discounts on additional services, gift cards, or loyalty cards, to encourage clients to leave their feedback and reviews. 

Customer reviews and testimonials are valuable evergreen content that you can continue to use across your social channels, website and online directories. They will help you shape your brand and give you more control over your online reputation.

3. Make a plan to source client feedback and reviews proactively

As mentioned above, sourcing client feedback and reviews are the most vital part of a reviews management plan. Therefore, setting up a formal client/patient referral program that strengthens your relationship with existing clients will give you a solid foundation for any review management plan. 

You will need to ensure everything is as quick and simple as possible for your clients so they are happy to be involved in the program.

You can also engage your clients’ families in the feedback process to gather additional reviews written from various perspectives. As a result, you may attract more potential clients who relate to the family members that use your home care services.

Once you have set up a framework for proactively sourcing customer reviews – that specifies how often you’ll run customer surveys and customer reviews campaigns and how you will use those reviews to attract new customers – you can move on to the last step.

4. Monitor customer reviews and respond promptly

It is best practice to monitor and respond to reviews regularly on social media, Google, Yelp, and other reputable websites where customers may leave comments. Setting up a process that enables your team to respond promptly to all online reviews, both positive and negative, shows you’re paying attention and that your business cares about the people writing them. 

Doing so can also help you pick up on negative reviews promptly and resolve them with tact and diplomacy before they escalate – in addition to acknowledging positive reviews and compliments on your services.

Every home care business has its unique challenges, and it’s inevitable that you’ll receive occasional negative feedback. That’s why it’s important to have a strategy in place to monitor all reviews and respond to clients with respect and a problem-solving attitude if they leave a bad review on your social media or review platforms.

Ideally, your home care business should use an internal feedback process that flags feedback from dissatisfied customers so you can address them immediately. However, it is more difficult to resolve feedback that is published publicly through negative online reviews. Once it’s there, it’s not going away. 

Like any other business, your reputation as a home care provider can make or break your success. Smartcare software provides powerful marketing solutions for home care providers who want to increase their referrals and build stronger client-provider relationships.

Please give us a call or request a free demo to see how our software can help you strengthen your brand and attract more clients throughout 2023.