Everyone recognizes that business reviews have value (NYT link or some contested business review story). However, it’s been a challenge to tangibly measure their true value. Most recently, new companies have made significant progress in showing how this value can be looked at from 2 different angles, one of which can definitely be measured! (more on that later!).

The Basis

Let’s start with something that has been demonstrated, proven and measured – the value of customer retention.

According to MethodCRM:

• 80% of small business revenue comes from 20% of customers
• 5% higher customer retention can increase profit by 25%
• Repeat customers spend 67% more than new ones

Since the dawn of time, Word of Mouth (WOM) has been a driving force of business growth. Numerous studies show that WOM clients provide more value than walk-ins and other kinds of customers because they stay longer and spend more money. There is a definite correlation between WOM and Customer Retention.

In today’s internet era, online reviews are the new word-of-mouth, especially Google reviews. Official studies show that 84% of customers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations, and 91% of customers read online reviews before deciding to purchase.

Why? Because the opinions of others are crucial in creating trust about a product or service, or a business in general. We rely on other people’s experiences, hoping to get the same good experience and – avoid the bad ones.

That means that good reviews will definitely help you organically get the people through the door. Coming in with the element of trust – they will be more likely to stick and become loyal as well.

Measuring Impact of Reviews

Remember the first sentence where we stated it’s been “a challenge to tangibly measure” the value of reviews? That’s changed. Companies have been looking at it for years, and at least one – ClubReady Partner Referrizer – has managed to crack the code.

How it Works

Google’s algorithm takes into account both the quantity and freshness of reviews (how recently it was posted), comprising approximately 15-20% of its decision-making process regarding the visibility of a business.

Looking at the data collected over the years, they’ve discovered a direct correlation between the growth of reviews and the subsequent increase in website traffic—specifically, in terms of website visit rates, click-through rates and impressions.

This example shows the rapid growth in website clicks, especially with the important mobile traffic tracks, after the addition of a focused review program with Referrizer.

To increase the trust factor of your business with google reviews and start gathering more positive reviews, consider a second party solution such as Referrizer’s Reputation Management.

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Note: This article was written by Elena Spasojevic, Co-Owner & Corporate Accounts, Referrizer

The post Unlocking Growth: The Impact of Google Reviews on Business ROI appeared first on ClubReady.

Your business success depends on member attendance and full schedules. But your classes can’t be full if they’re canceled because there wasn’t an instructor to lead the class … 

 Last-minute changes are aggravating for members trying to reach their goals. And can lead to churn. But you can’t personally be everywhere or lead every class. At the same time, you can’t afford to spend hours texting, calling, and emailing subs to fill open slots, all the while thinking it shouldn’t be this hard. 

What’s needed is transparency, visibility into systems, and honest communication. Fortunately, there is technology available today that delivers all of that and more, helping to improve employee engagement and streamline customer service processes. Here are seven reasons why you should consider class subbing and communication software.

1) Increased Employee Engagement

No matter how much effort you put into communicating with your employees, it’s not always easy to get everyone on the same page. Subbing and communication software helps you keep your team engaged by providing a platform for real-time conversations and collaboration. This makes it easier for everyone to stay informed and connected.

2) Improved Team Efficiency

Once you have implemented subbing and communication software, you will find that your instructors are able to find class coverage and receive critical studio updates more efficiently. By having access to all the necessary information at their fingertips, employees can move quickly between tasks without wasting time searching for documents or files. 

3) Enhanced Member Experience

Subbing and communication software can also improve your member experience by ensuring the schedule is accurate and you never have a substitute no-show in a class because he or she forgot.   

4) Improved Team Collaboration

With subbing and communication software, teams can easily collaborate on sub-requests, new movements, class plans, playlists, and more regardless of their location or time zone differences. This makes it much simpler for your part-time instructors and teachers to work together as if they were all in the same room – something that was impossible before these tools were available.   

5) Streamlined Decision-Making Processes

By having access to real-time data at their fingertips, studio owners and operators can make better decisions faster than ever before. With this type of technology, leaders can quickly access the information they need in order to make informed scheduling decisions quickly without having to wait for reports or other data points.  

6) Automated Workflows

Subbing and communication software also allows businesses to automate certain workflows and processes such as instructor sub-policies, team availability, file sharing, and personalized messaging. This automation means that studio owners or operations don’t have to conduct each task every step of the way manually – saving precious time & money. 

7) Increased Productivity

When teams are connected via subbing and communication tools, they can work smarter instead of harder which leads to increased productivity throughout the organization and better employee experiences. Furthermore, when teams are able to communicate quickly and effectively, there is less chance for mistakes due to miscommunication which leads to higher success rates overall. Implementing subbing technology has been  proven to save hours a week for their customers. “’ Absolute game changer’ is what we hear from our clients,’” says Danny Orlick, CEO of NetGym, a class subbing and employee communication solution, on the hours that studios save. 

Subbing and communication software is an incredible investment to take your team and your business to the next level. Now is the time to invest subbing technology and reap its many benefits. Check out NetGym , a ClubReady partner that provides subbing solution, and other ClubReady partners.  

The post Where the @#$% is Steve?!  appeared first on ClubReady.