The Internet has its flaws. It has put more than a few softball-size dents in the hood of privacy, it provides us with far too much insight into the often-mundane lives of celebrities, and it has turned procrastination into a hobby and an art form. But for all of its negatives, it has also given a voice to the voiceless and has helped to hold people and companies accountable for their actions.
For example, a business that may have been able to cover some bad press and silence word-of-mouth in the past by throwing handfuls of cash at its marketing department can no longer use this as a viable option (for the most part). If a company is known for providing customers with a negative experience, others are going to know about it.
But the same can be said for the opposite, as well. A good customer experience can generate a firestorm of activity for a business. Which is why, as Kevin Oakley, managing partner at Do You Convert, writes, “Customer experience first, profit second.”
But even if a company is generating plenty of positive reactions and experiences, not everyone is going to go write a review on Yelp, send out a tweet, or post on Facebook about it. This is where the company needs to step in.
Creating a ‘testimonial engine’ is a great way to capture and use the positive experiences of customers to improve the business. This testimonial engine consists of short pulse-checks at closing, a two to three month follow-up, and scheduling multiple customers for video shoots on the same day to efficiently capture their stories.
