Step 1: Gather information

Speak to each of your brand locations, dealers, and/or franchisees about their needs and current processes for collecting reviews. Identify what’s working and what’s not working and how you can create a single process that works for every location.

Consider asking the following questions to each franchisee owner and/or store manager:

Do you know how many reviews have been posted online for your store location?
How are you currently collecting reviews from customers?
How many reviews do you collect on average?
How are you following up on reviews for your specific location?
What would you like to see in a new online reputation management program?

Step 2: Identify goals and KPIs to track

Before you implement an online reputation program, it’s critical that you document your specific goals. What is your desired outcome of the program and how will you measure it?

Once you’ve determined your goals and KPIs, create a dashboard to help you track progress and easily share results. Your Reputation Management software provider should also be able to help you with this.

Step 3: Involve key stakeholders

Identify which departments and team members you will need to include in your online reputation management program.

Consider the following questions as you identify who should be involved in the program:

Who will be the gatekeeper of the incoming review data?
Who will analyze the data for trends?
Who will route reviews to the right internal team?
Who will respond to negative reviews?
Who will close the loop on relevant customer feedback?

Also, try to find an executive sponsor to back your goals for this initiative. They can not only provide support, but can help evangelize the program throughout the organization.

Step 4: Map out the desired customer experience

As you implement your online reputation management program and create a consistent customer experience for each location, consider what that process looks like and document your best-case scenario.

Consider the process from both your internal perspective and the customer experience. Be sure to answer the following questions:

When will the customer receive a review request?
Who will send the request or how will the request be automatically triggered?
How and on what channel will the customer receive the review request (and what will be included in that request)?
How many steps will be required of your customer to complete and post a review?
Are there any steps you can automate internally to streamline the request of reviews?

Step 5: Document program ownership

Each online reputation program should include at least three areas of ownership: requesting reviews, responding to reviews, and closing the loop—apply changes to the business operationally. Determine which internal team or department will manage each area and how the handoff between steps should be implemented.

Your program ownership document should include:

The team or department responsible to ask for reviews
How will they ask for reviews?
Where will they pull contacts?
What will the message to customers be?
The team or department responsible for responding to reviews
How will they follow up with negative reviews?
How will they route reviews to the right person for a specific follow up?
What messaging will they use to respond publicly to negative reviews?
The team or department responsible for implementing changes to the business
How will they identify specific patterns or trends in the review data?
What baseline will be required in order to implement changes across the business?

Step 6: Claim and maintain your Google Business Profile

If you haven’t already, claim each location’s Google Business Profile and then make a plan to check each one for accuracy.

As you update and maintain your Google Business Profile listings, include the following:

Business hours (including holidays)
Phone number (including a textable number)
Website link
Location address
Photos of each specific location

Step 7: Conduct a pilot program

Start your program roll out with a small pilot program. Identify the contacts or specific locations you want to start with on a smaller scale and execute your program. Track your KPIs in those areas to see how your program performs. Determine beforehand what success looks like so you’ll know when it’s time to do a broader program launch.

In your initial run of review requests, be sure to:

Personalize your ask by including each customer’s name in the review request
Include the link to the review site to reduce friction for the customer’s process
Thank each customer for their business!

Step 8: Roll out your program to all locations

Once your pilot program is complete, analyze your results. If your customer experience was positive, your internal team was clear on their responsibilities and executed each task in a timely manner, and your customers engaged with your ask for reviews, it’s time to roll out the program to your entire contact list and each location.

As you move from beta to a live online reputation management program, don’t forget to:

Identify checkpoints to make sure everything is running smoothly
Consider different review request methods (e.g. texting your review request vs. email)

Step 9: Report on performance

After your online reputation management program rolls out to your entire business (and each location), don’t forget to report on the performance of the program.

In your report, include the following:

Employee (corporate and local) feedback on how the program was executed
Total number of reviews collected
Specific trends or patterns that will inform change for your business

Reviews Simplified®: The Ultimate Guide to Enterprise Reviews

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