Customer Feedback: The Basics

In the garage door industry, word-of-mouth remains a powerful way to gain business — but in today’s digital world, that word-of-mouth primarily comes from online reviews and customer feedback. For garage door dealers and installers, collecting customer feedback can make your business stand out, improve your reputation, and identify problems you can fix to increase customer satisfaction. Action Industries has been in the business for decades, and we're here to show you how to engage with customers and solicit their feedback so potential customers will know that your business is not only legit, but also a quality choice for their garage door servicing needs.  

Why Request Customer Feedback? 

When it comes to searching for companies on the internet, a whopping 98% of internet users read online reviews before choosing a service, and if your business is 3 stars or less, potential customers will be weary of trusting you. Having positive customer feedback builds trust with potential customers to help show your legitimacy and can even help your website rank higher in search results!  

Search engines like Google prioritize showing legitimate websites to users while letting subpar ones be listed lower on a search page.

There are multiple tactics you can use to boost your website’s Google ranking, and one of the best ones is to have customers reviewing your business. The more high-quality reviews you have, the higher your website can rank in local search results when someone searches “garage door repair near me” or a similar query.  

Customer feedback also offers an excellent insight into what is and isn’t working in your business. Are customers satisfied with the garage door brands you offer? Do they like your installation process? Is your team punctual? Are you available for emergency repair? Feedback reveals blind spots and opportunities for improvement that can boost customer satisfaction in the long term. 

Where to Manage Reviews 

Now that you know why reviews are important, how do you get them? First, you’ll need to sign up for an online ratings platform that allows customers to provide feedback and rate your services. These sites allow customers to share their experiences, opinions, and evaluations in the form of written reviews, star ratings, or other scoring systems that can then be viewed on your website or on a search engine.  

There are multiple sites where you can manage your reviews, with ResellerRatings, Trust Pilot, Yelp, and Google Business being great options. You can use more than one depending on what features you’re looking for, but Google Business is a must-have. Roughly 90% of people use Google as their primary search engine, and having a verified Google Business Profile ensures your company shows up when a potential customer searches for garage door services in your area, which is a huge publicity boost. See below for an example. 

How to Get Reviews  

The easier it is for customers to leave a review, the more likely they will. Online ratings websites offer unique features like emails that have a built-in ratings system or a message box for past customers to share their thoughts. Make it standard practice to follow up after each installation or repair with an email or text requesting feedback. These don’t need to be long, and should get straight to the point.  

Example message:  

"Thank you for choosing [Your Company Name]! We'd love to hear how we did. Your feedback helps us improve and helps others find [Service you Provide] they can trust." 

Modify the above quote to your specific business and add the option to leave feedback beneath it! 

Besides emails, you should also have a dedicated location on your website for customers to submit their experiences with your business. This can be its own exclusive page that customers can submit to, or a smaller widget on the main page that can be easily seen. Having both is a great way to maximize the possibility of engagement. 

Once you have a page for customer submissions, you can embed it in a QR code that customers can use with their phone. Offline, you can use these QR codes on the back of a truck, business card, or custom lubricant to encourage people to share their thoughts. 

Ask the Right Questions  

Sometimes your business may be looking for more detailed insights beyond a mere star rating. This can be a great tool to find what people enjoy about your business and what can be improved. Consider asking questions like:  

1. Was our service professional? 
2. Are you satisfied with the service we provided? 
3. Is there anything we could have done better?  
4. Would you recommend us to friends or neighbors?  

A Few More Tips 

We live in a hectic world where leaving a business review isn’t top priority for people. That’s why you should send a follow-up email to customers 2-3 days after your first review request. As a friendly reminder. Consider something like: 

 
“Hi [Name], just checking in — we’d really appreciate a quick review if you have a moment. Here’s the link: [link]. Thanks so much!” 

Only send one or at the most two follow-ups, as any more can run the risk of being seen as spam. 

You can also offer incentives to encourage feedback, but this must be done carefully. NEVER offer cash or discounts in exchange for a positive review — as it’s not only a conflict of interest, but against most platforms’ rules. Instead, offer a prize like a $25 gift card or t-shirt drawing for everyone who leaves a review — be it good, bad, or in-between!  

Respond to Reviews  

Once reviews start coming in, it's important to engage with feedback. Responding to positive and negative comments can go a long way to show potential customers that you take an active role in caring about a consumer's experience, which builds trust. 

Example: 

Review: Excellent service. The installers arrived on time and finished early, we love our new weather seal! --Rose  

Response: Thank you for the review, Rose! We always try to arrive on time and give our customers the best service possible, and we're so glad we fulfilled your expectations. We hope you enjoy your new weather seal! 

Responding to Negative Reviews  

It’s important to not be intimidated by poor reviews or lash out at a dissatisfied customer. Negative reviews can be a great way to get an insight on potential problems your business needs to fix while also providing the chance to make things right and show potential customers that you care about their experience. Respond promptly to negative reviews and offer to fix the issue, you might be able to improve that one star review and have an online chat history showing that you will help customers when need be. 

While it may be tempting to lash out at difficult customers, it is important to always maintain a professional tone. Google and other sites display your comments for the whole world to see, and if a potential customer sees you getting into petty arguments, they will be less inclined to work with you. Try to provide context for negative reviews whenever possible to help onlookers see your side to a customer’s dispute.  

For example, if a customer is mad you delayed an installation, provide context that there was a shipping delay for the parts you needed and it was out of your control. Follow up by explaining how you resolved the issue (provided a discount as compensation, bumped customer to the top of your schedule, etc.) and that you are sorry for the inconvenience. Doing so will showcase that you work to fix issues as they arise. 

Despite offering to assist dissatisfied customers, you will inevitably have poor reviews that can’t be turned around. Don't worry though, having a mix of reviews can help show that you are a legit business and not buying fake positive feedback to trick people.  

Marketing Reviews 

Reviews can do more than just make your business seem more trustworthy to people, you should also use them for marketing material. With a customer's permission, you can post their testimonials on your business social media or website to show how you go above and beyond for clients. 

Customer feedback is an excellent way to show that your business is trustworthy. While it may be daunting to reach out for fear of negative feedback, it's important to understand that the pros outweigh the cons, especially in an industry that relies on trust and referrals. If you want a broader overview of how to make your business stand out in the digital age, check out Action’s comprehensive guide here!