Every business with an online presence eventually comes to grapple with the question of how to get better online reviews. Reading reviews from unhappy customers can feel like the five stages of grief: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.<\/p>\n
Customers may start with denial: \u201cOn the whole, I have no problem with them, but\u2026\u201d<\/em> says one resident who goes on to share their disappointment with a lapse in their solid waste hauling service. The second stage, anger, is often punctuated by multiple exclamation points: \u201cTerrible customer service!!!!!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n The third stage is bargaining: \u201cI\u2019m ready to notify the news station and maybe get a response them,\u201d <\/em>threatens a resident who failed to get a resolution after multiple phone calls. That can be followed by depression: \u201cMy neighborhood looks like a mess with all the trash left behind everywhere.\u201d<\/em> And finally, acceptance: \u201cUnfortunately, I have no choice of trash companies\u2026\u201d <\/em>These are all real reviews of waste haulers that were posted online this year.<\/p>\n While many residents have no choice when it comes to trash haulers, that doesn\u2019t prevent them from loudly and publicly expressing their unhappiness, which turns away potential customers who aren’t contractually obligated. Online comments can influence contract renewals as well as future contract wins, and you can bet municipal decision makers \u2013 and competitors \u2013 are paying attention. Residents and businesses that do have a choice of solid waste companies will sometimes use social media to encourage others to make the switch along with them, creating a herd mentality. Avoiding all of these problems starts with understanding why these reviews happened, how to get better online reviews, and how to potentially win over current and former customers who\u2019ve written poorly about you online.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to shrug and say everyone is just complaining a lot these days. But generally, people don\u2019t turn to social media with their gripes until they feel like they\u2019ve run out of options. When calls to customer service don\u2019t resolve an issue, or people feel they\u2019re not being heard, you\u2019ll see comments like this one: \u201cFive phone calls and (my) trash has still not been picked up! It\u2019s about to get dropped at their front door.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Most customers will give a business quite a bit of latitude if they feel like someone is trying to fix their problem. Customers call about issues they think should be simple to resolve, and their frustration increases each time they have to call back or each passing week that they see no action. A look at online reviews from locations throughout the U.S. revealed complaints that can be solved with fleet automation<\/a> and back-office solutions, meaning the trick to getting better Google and Yelp reviews can be as simple as a tech upgrade:<\/p>\n Where\u2019s my cart?<\/strong> Whether it\u2019s a cart for a new resident, a bin size change, or replacing a damaged cart, it can be pretty annoying for customers to have waste piling up with nowhere to put it. One customer posted: \u201cIt\u2019s like an act of Congress to get a new trash can.\u201d<\/em> If this issue feels all too familiar, it\u2019s probably time to improve work order management so tasks are assigned, completed, and verified with customer service in mind.<\/p>\n Solution:<\/strong> You\u2019ll increase efficiency and responsiveness with Routeware\u2019s back office solutions. Create, assign, and dispatch<\/a> work orders quickly and easily to make sure carts are delivered when and where customers need them.<\/p>\n You missed!<\/strong> When the trucks have come and gone, the last thing a resident wants to do is roll a completely full cart back up the driveway and wait another week or two for pickup. And when a customer calls, they don\u2019t want to be told \u2013 without evidence \u2013 that it\u2019s their fault. This can be fixed with fleet and route monitoring, combined with on-board cameras, providing the evidence you need whether the driver or the customer is to blame.<\/p>\n Sure, some customers try to have a sense of humor about it: \u201c<\/em>They have the nerve to tell us (our cans) weren\u2019t out or they didn\u2019t see them\u2026Quite concerning that they have someone driving that can\u2019t see bright blue and green cans\u2026,\u201d<\/em> but that\u2019s not always going to be the case: \u201cI don\u2019t like being called a liar\u2026I\u2019m telling you they missed my trash can!!!\u201d <\/em>(Those exclamation points again).<\/p>\n Solution:<\/strong> Collaborate with customers to solve pickup issues when you have high-quality on-board video cameras<\/a> on every truck. There\u2019s no need to debate cart placement or set-out timing when service personnel can share photos or video with drivers or customers, accurately identifying what caused a missed cart. When customers are able to see things through the eyes of their driver, they\u2019ll be able to choose a better place for their cart. Supervisors can also use video to help drivers increase efficiency and accuracy.<\/p>\n What\u2019s taking so long?<\/strong> Requests to pick up bulky materials or special items are handled most efficiently by a truck that\u2019s already in the area. But that requires coordinating work orders and sending work orders in real-time. Even drivers get frustrated when they return to base only to be sent back out to a neighborhood they already visited.<\/p>\n Solution:<\/strong> With Routeware\u2019s fleet automation technology communicating directly to onboard computers, changes that happen day-of can easily be integrated into a driver\u2019s route. A customer who avoids having to haul their own waste is a happy customer \u2013 even if their pup feels otherwise: \u201cI\u2019m not missing the trip to the landfill\u2026However, my dog is missing the cookie the nice cashiers would give her each trip.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Negative online reviews not only impact your ability to gain and retain valued accounts, they can also impact employee morale. On the other hand, delighted customers will often go out of their way to post positive comments, especially when an employee fixes a problem or handles a sticky issue with grace. Solid waste companies have received online compliments that often called out drivers and service personnel by name, including this one: \u201c<\/em>Apart from being incredibly professional, funny, and super sweet, they went beyond the call of duty and resolved the issue, getting my recycle picked up.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n With Routeware, you can give your team modern tools that will help them deliver the kind of service they strive for, so customers won\u2019t feel like their only option is to express their grievances online.<\/p>\n The solutions to all of these problems fall within Routeware\u2019s purview. From the <\/span>on-board cameras<\/span><\/a> to clear up confusion on cart placement, to <\/span>waste route optimization<\/span><\/a> that syncs your fleet with your customers\u2019 needs, to <\/span>waste and recycling communication apps<\/span><\/a> that handle your customers\u2019 questions on what can and can\u2019t be recycled, the Routeware suite is built specifically for waste haulers. <\/span><\/p>\n Are you ready for better online reviews? Let\u2019s talk!<\/a>Better tools for service they\u2019ll write about<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Problem-solving means more positivity<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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