Online reviews can make or break your courier business . A 3.8-star average rating can undo all the positive marketing you do .
That ’ s the advice of Tom Lickliter , a digital marketing expert with Anchor Wave Digital Marketing Agency who has worked with members of the last-mile industry and over 200 other industries .
CLDA magazine recently interviewed Tom for practical advice on the impact of online reviews and how couriers can use them to their benefit . Here ’ s what Tom told us :
CLDA Mag : Let ’ s start with some information about you and your company to get perspective .
Lickliter : I am a Senior Web Strategist at Anchor Wave . I handle the company ’ s digital marketing professional sales . Anchor Wave is a digital marketing and website design company that has been in business for over 21 years . We have a 98 % retention rate on our digital marketing clients . We ’ ve worked with several companies in the last-mile space .
CLDA Mag : How important are online reviews ?
Lickliter : A business cannot ignore the power of its online reputation . No matter how enthusiastic a personal recommendation is , a negative review cancels it . If I don ’ t know your courier company or haven ’ t worked with your business before , even if somebody recommends you , I ’ m going to check your company ’ s online reputation . Reviews power confident decisions . They optimize conversions .
CLDA Mag : Why do last-mile providers have to pay attention to their online reviews ?
Lickliter : Because they have a direct impact on revenue . Ninety-two percent of business-to-business buyers say reading trusted reviews makes them more likely to engage with that business . And here ’ s another sobering statistic : 93 % say those reviews impact purchasing decisions .
If someone says to me , “ Hey Tom , I just used this plumber . You should give him a call and use them .” The first thing I do is search for him online . Right on top of the Google business profile , I see his reviews . Before I know anything about that plumber , even after getting that referral from my friend , I will click and start reading reviews . In fact , 85 % of consumers / businesses trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation . Complete strangers are helping make our decisions for us !
As an online reputation management company , we know the power of these reviews and how companies can capitalize on them .
CLDA Mag : You mentioned “ The Trust Tipping Point .” Tell us about that .
Lickliter : We created a concept when customers gain enough trust in your company ’ s competency to start doing business with you . It dates back to COVID . When COVID hit , everybody went home , and internet traffic skyrocketed . With that skyrocketing traffic came a very high level of skepticism . Buyers had lots of questions : Are you still in business ? Are you still taking care of your customers ? Are people
summer 2024 I customized logistics & delivery Magazine 27