Cheers vs Other Reviews-collecting Methods

When you run a business that deals with customers in person—like a restaurant, a solar company, or an electrician service—getting reviews is super important.

Reviews can make or break your reputation, and they play a huge role in attracting new customers. But to be honest, getting customers to leave a review isn’t always easy. Most people forget, don’t bother, or simply don’t have the time.

There are a lot of different ways to collect reviews, but not all of them work well. In this article, I’m going to compare using Cheers, our platform with NFC-enabled ‘Smart’ Badges, to other common review methods.

Spoiler alert: Cheers comes out on top. Oops 😜, let's take a look.

The Usual Way of Asking for Reviews

Let’s start with the most common way businesses try to get reviews. Usually, after a customer has finished their meal, had their solar panels installed, or gotten their house cleaned, the business will ask them to leave a review. This could be done in person, over email, or by giving them a little card with a link to the review site.

The Problems:

• Forgetfulness: Most people have good intentions, but life gets busy. Customers might plan to leave a review later, but by the time they get home, they’ve forgotten all about it.

  
  

• Extra Steps: Asking customers to go online, find your business, and leave a review is asking a lot. The more steps involved, the less likely they are to actually do it.

  
  

• Low Response Rate: Because of the reasons above, you might only get a small number of reviews compared to the number of customers you serve.

Using Email Follow-Ups

Another popular method is sending follow-up emails asking customers to leave a review. This usually happens a day or two after they’ve used your service.

The Problems:

• Email Overload: People get a ton of emails every day. Your request for a review can easily get lost in the sea of other messages, or worse, end up in the spam folder.

  
  

• Delayed Feedback: By the time they get your email, the experience isn’t fresh anymore. If they had a great experience, the excitement has worn off. If they had a bad experience, they might not even bother leaving a review.

  
  

• Low Engagement: Even if your email stands out, people still need to take the time to open it, read it, and click the link to leave a review. It’s too easy for them to ignore it.

In-Store Tablets or Kiosks

Some businesses use tablets or kiosks at the checkout counter where customers can leave a review before they leave the store.

The Problems:

• Awkward Timing: People are usually in a hurry when they’re checking out. Asking them to stand there and leave a review can feel like an inconvenience.

  
  

• Pressure: Some customers might feel uncomfortable leaving an honest review if they think the employees are watching. This can lead to either no review or a less-than-honest one.

  
  

• Limited Use: These setups only work when the customer is physically in your store. For services like home repairs or installations, this method is useless.

The Cheers Difference

Now, let’s talk about how Cheers changes the game. Cheers uses NFC-enabled ‘Smart’ Badges that employees wear. These badges make it super easy for customers to leave a review on the spot by just tapping their smartphone to the badge. It’s quick, easy, and works anytime, anywhere.

Why Cheers is Better:

• Instant Feedback: With Cheers, customers can leave a review while the experience is still fresh. They don’t have to remember to do it later, and they don’t have to deal with emails or follow-up messages. A quick tap of their phone, and they’re done.

  
  

• No Extra Steps: There’s no need to go online, search for your business, or fill out long forms. Cheers makes the process so simple that customers are much more likely to actually leave a review.

  
  

• On-the-Spot Convenience: Whether your employee is at the customer’s home, in the store, or on the job site, customers can leave a review instantly. There’s no need to wait until they get home or deal with awkward kiosks at checkout.

  
  

• Employee Attribution: With Cheers, reviews are tied to the specific employee who provided the service. This not only helps with performance tracking but also motivates employees to do their best since they know their efforts will be recognized.

  
  

• Higher Response Rate: Because it’s so easy, Cheers typically results in a much higher response rate. Businesses using Cheers have seen a 5-10x increase in feedback and 5-star reviews within the first month.

Real-Life Benefits

Let’s look at what all this means in practice. Imagine you run a solar company. Your team has just finished installing solar panels at a customer’s house. Before leaving, the technician asks the customer to tap their phone to the Smart Badge. The customer leaves a glowing review right there on the spot, no follow-up emails needed. That review is immediately tied to both the technician and the specific service provided.

Now, instead of hoping the customer will remember to leave a review later, you’ve got a great review in hand, and it’s linked to the right person. This not only boosts your company’s reputation but also helps you track which employees are getting the best feedback. You can use this information to provide targeted training, offer rewards, and improve overall service.

The Final Verdict👨‍⚖️

When it comes to collecting reviews, Cheers simply works better than traditional methods. It’s faster, easier, and more effective. By eliminating extra steps and making it convenient for customers to leave feedback, Cheers helps businesses get more reviews, better reviews, and reviews that are tied directly to the people and products that made the experience great.

If you’re tired of begging customers for reviews and getting little in return, it might be time to give Cheers a try. With Cheers, you can turn every customer interaction into an opportunity to gather valuable feedback and build a stronger, more successful business.

Cheers 🍻