Speaker 1: 1:01

Okay, think about this for a second. How do you choose, say, a new restaurant or maybe find a plumber? For most of us, right checking online reviews is just standard practice now it's automatic. But what does that look like from the other side For the business? Today we're really gonna get into that the whole world of online reviews, why they matter so much, what makes managing them such a headache for businesses and maybe a smarter way to handle it all. Because, honestly, online reputation it isn't just a nice to have anymore can literally decide if a business sinks or swims. We want to explore how they can actually shape that story. But first, what happens when just keeping up with those reviews feels like well, way too much?

Speaker 2: 1:40

It's a great starting point Because you're Potential customers are looking always and what's really fascinating, I think, is how much trust itself has become the the real currency online. It's not just about your service quality anymore, it's what everyone else says about it. You know, I saw this study at Harvard Business School. I think showing a one star Yelp rating bump could mean like a five to 9% revenue increase. That's serious money, direct impact and lots of businesses well, they still underestimate that link.

Speaker 1: 2:12

I feel yeah, 5% to 9%. That definitely makes it tangible, doesn't it? Not just some vague reputation thing?

Speaker 2: 2:17

Yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 2:18

But okay, let's get real about the challenges, Because knowing reviews matter is one thing. Actually doing something about it that feels like a whole different ballgame for most businesses.

Speaker 2: 2:26

Oh, absolutely. The first hurdle is often just asking. You know it feels awkward. You've just done a great job, provided a service and now you have to kind of pitch them for a review. It can mess with that natural customer interaction. Plus, when is the right time to even ask? It's tricky.

Speaker 1: 2:41

Right, and then, assuming you get reviews, what next? Responding to them all? You need to be professional, quick, whether the flip side, you could be the best business in town, but if you have hardly any recent reviews, you might look unproven or, worse, closed.

Speaker 2: 3:12

People need that social proof. They really do. No reviews can be almost as bad as negative ones sometimes.

Speaker 1: 3:17

That's so true. And it's not just about how people feel when they see the reviews right. There's a technical side too Online reviews. They played a huge role in search rankings, especially local search. Google doesn't just look at the overall star rating. It loves recent reviews, regular reviews. So a business with, say, fewer reviews, but they're fresh and coming in steadily. They could actually rank higher than someone with more stars, but they're all old. It's about keeping that conversation going. So ignoring reviews it doesn't just cost you customers directly, it can make you invisible online.

Speaker 2: 3:50

That's a really crucial point. A lot of businesses they get trapped reacting or maybe worse, they just kind of let it slide. Benign neglect, you could call it. They know it's important, but you've got Google, yelp, facebook make industry sites. It just feels overwhelming like trying to plug leaks in a dozen dams at once. So they ignore it and that quiet cost. It adds up fast, especially if competitors are managing their reputation well, they just pull ahead.

Speaker 1: 4:14

OK, so we see the problem High stakes, lots of hurdles, the old way, doing it manually, it's just not cutting it. Ignoring it is risky. So what's the alternative? How do businesses actually get ahead of this without getting completely swamped? This is where, you know, a more streamlined, proactive solution comes into play, something like Pinnacle, for instance.

Speaker 2: 4:35

Right. This is where we see a shift. Instead of juggling different tools or logging into five different websites every day, businesses need something unified. The idea is to move from playing defense damage control to playing offense, actively building and using that online story.

Speaker 1: 4:52

Exactly. Pinnacle tries to make it simple, proactive and it's smart about it too. Like it can automatically send out a friendly review request text or email right after a service or purchase Takes the awkwardness out of it for the owner. But it's also about the timing. I've read that the best chance to get a review is like right after that positive experience minutes, not days later. The system kind of taps into that peak happiness moment, which is pretty clever actually, and that's a key difference, isn't it?

Speaker 2: 5:16

It's not just automating, it's smart automation. Then, beyond just asking, it pulls all those reviews from Google, facebook, wherever into one place, one dashboard. So the business owner sees everything Good, bad, okay and they can reply right from there. No more logging in and out constantly. That alone saves so much time.

Speaker 1: 5:36

Yeah, making it easy for the customer, easy for the business. That makes sense. And Pinnacle keeps track too. Right Monitors ratings, lets you know when new feedback pops up, so you're always in the loop, can jump on things quickly, plus being able to manage it all from an app. That's pretty handy for someone running around all day, always connected to their reputation.

Speaker 2: 5:53

It really shows how something like this changes the game. You go from just getting reviews, maybe reacting to the bad ones, to actively building your online presence. It puts the business back in the driver's seat, turns reputation management from a chore into, well, a growth strategy really.

Speaker 1: 6:09

Okay, let's make this really concrete. Can you walk us through an example Like how would this actually work day to day for, say, a local hair salon?

Speaker 2: 6:16

Sure good example. So imagine a busy salon, great stylists, happy clients, but getting reviews was always hit or miss, mostly miss. Now Pinnacle connects with their appointment software Client checks out, feels amazing about their new haircut. Boom. A few minutes later their phone buzzes A simple text Loved your service today. We'd love your feedback With a direct link. It's quick, it's easy and it catches them right when they're feeling positive.

Speaker 1: 6:43

And because it's so fresh in their mind, they're way more likely to just click and leave that five-star review. Maybe add a nice comment.

Speaker 2: 6:49

Exactly that positive feedback loop gets strengthened. But here's the other side. What if someone wasn't totally happy? Maybe the color wasn't quite right? A small issue, instead of that potentially becoming a public one-star rant later? Pinnacle can capture that feedback internally. First, the owner gets an alert instantly. They can then reach out privately to that client. Hey, saw your feedback, so sorry it wasn't perfect. Let's make it right. That can turn a potential detractor into someone who feels heard, maybe even a loyal customer, because you handled it well.

Speaker 1: 7:19

Ah, so it's like a filter almost.

Speaker 2: 7:21

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 7:21

Address problems before they hit the public review sites. That's huge. And then over time, with this system consistently encouraging the good reviews and letting them manage the not so good ones effectively, the salon's overall rating just climbs and when someone new searches salon near me, bingo, they see all those great recent reviews, more clients it just fuels itself.

Speaker 2: 7:43

Precisely Connecting it back. You see how that consistent, managed process directly leads to real growth, real visibility. It's not just vanity metrics, those stars, it's about attracting more business and building loyalty because you're proving you listen and you care.

Speaker 1: 7:58

And it works for other types of businesses too, right, like maybe a home services company, plumbers, electricians.

Speaker 2: 8:03

Oh, definitely Same principle Job's done, fix the leaky faucet, install the new light fixture. Pinnacle sends out the request automatically. Customer's happy, the job is done, maybe impressed with the technician. Click review. The company sees the feedback, replies quickly, thanks for your business or addresses any issues. The system tracks it all. They can literally watch their online reputation improve and that translates directly Faster lead conversion. People see that consistent proof of good work from others and they're more likely to call them instead of the competitor.

Speaker 1: 8:38

It really highlights the problem with the old way, doesn't it? Trying to tape together different tools, maybe a separate CRM, a review monitoring thing?

Speaker 2: 8:45

Yeah, or just the purely manual approach, logging into Google my Business, then Yelp, then maybe Angie or Checkatrade. The time it takes, the mental energy it just means it often gets pushed to the side. I'll do it later and later never comes.

Speaker 1: 8:58

Exactly. It's so time consuming and because it's a pain, it becomes inconsistent. You forget, you get busy.

Speaker 2: 9:07

It just doesn't feel sustainable, especially for smaller teams, where everyone's wearing multiple hats already, and that's a real danger Because, like we said, if your competitors are actively managing their reviews and you're not, you're not just standing still, you're falling behind, you miss out on valuable feedback opportunities to build loyalty and, yeah, that competitive edge.

Speaker 1: 9:24

Right, and this is where that integrated approach, like with Pinnacle, makes such a difference.

Speaker 2: 9:28

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 9:29

It's not some separate thing you have to remember to log into. It's built into the system they might already use for their contacts, their communication.

Speaker 2: 9:35

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 9:36

It becomes part of the daily rhythm, part of the workflow, their communication. It becomes part of the daily rhythm, part of the workflow, not this extra chore looming over you, it's just there working.

Speaker 2: 9:48

That integration piece is absolutely crucial. It dramatically lowers the barrier to actually doing reputation management consistently. When it's seamless, it's much more likely to happen day in, day out, and that allows businesses to stop constantly worrying about that one negative review popping up unexpectedly. Instead, they're building this ongoing stream of positive, authentic feedback proactively.

Speaker 1: 10:05

So when a business nails this, consistently, gets reviews, manages them well, all through one system, they just naturally feel more trustworthy, more visible online as a customer. When you see that activity, those responses, the fresh positive comments, it just gives you more confidence, right and for the business, they're finally in control of their own narrative online. It creates this positive momentum, attracts new customers, keeps the current ones happy and, yeah, probably makes the competition a bit nervous, seeing that solid reputation.

Speaker 2: 10:35

The bigger picture here is really about how businesses build and maintain trust today in this digital world. It's shifting from reactive damage control to proactive engagement. It's about using every single customer touchpoint as a chance to build that social proof, that credibility that fuels growth. It's not just marketing fluff, it's fundamental to how businesses succeed now.

Speaker 1: 10:55

So we've really covered how vital these online reviews are, hitting the bottom line, making businesses visible, and how a joined-up proactive system like Pinnacle can make a massive difference. It's about building that trust, that consistent presence. So here's something to think about as you go about your day. That online reputation. It's always talking Whether you run a business or you're just choosing one. What's that conversation saying right now and how actively is it being shaped? Just consider how much you rely on reviews and what it really takes for a business today to earn and keep your trust online Something more than just the product itself, maybe.