We've been using this tool for only a month so far, and we're blown away with how easy it is to ask for and generate a review from customers that our business has helped.
The app in question? Meet Podium:
This application is best used in concert with something like Reputation Stacker (we use this also, we highly recommend it) as a 1-2 punch to dominate your review generation strategy.
Since we like to keep our reviews short, sweet, and to the point - here is what we love about Podium:
Use Texting To Ask Clients Directly
There is no better way to ask a client than directly through text messaging. Podium is a chat tool and review tool in 1, connecting your business directly to your customers.
It is not a Text Marketing service like Simple Texting - its purpose is not to push drip campaigns. Its designed for direct communication.
In most cases, we ask clients to leave a review as soon as we're done with a project. In rare cases like this one, they ask us to leave one. Yea, were patting ourselves on the back.
Take a look:
You can see everything awesome about Podium in this screenshot alone.
Since our company prides itself on customer service and being problem-solving ninjas, we find the ability to text our clients directly the fastest way to get feedback and move projects forward. But that's not even this app's primary purpose. Its primary purpose is to get reviews easily. It does just that.
Via the little plus icon at the bottom left corner, you can click Review Invitation and it automatically sends an invite link directly to your platform of choice, like Google or Facebook, to leave a review. Here's what it looks like in the Podium app when a client leaves a review:
It even allows you to respond to the review directly, right in the app. This company is pretty genius.
Which brings me to my next point.
Their Customer Service is as Good as Ours
I actually told this to the guy that manages our account at Podium the other day - they move quickly and act a lot like our own team. Highly connected and always moving. To be honest, kicking off our account with Podium was rocky and there were a few balls dropped here and there. That said, they are great at putting out torches. (I like to call them torches instead of fires - they're easier to overcome.)
From helping my techie itch for automating everything to helping me mold their app to fit what my unique vision was for it, they're able to keep up with me. That's saying something. And they do customer service like champs, so I can vouch for them when I say they'll do everything they can to help you be successful.
It Will Help You Grow Sales
I know their primary focus is review generation, but my primary purpose is to use this tool o provide outstanding customer service to show why we're worth working with. In the process, our attentiveness combined with our expertise just blossoms with Podium. Because clients get an answer fast, we're able to finish their projects faster. Once prospective clients see that, they're eager to do business with us because they know we'll take care of them.
What I'm saying is, Podium helps you convey your expertise and responsiveness to clients - giving them the best experience with your brand and giving them every reason to leave that 5 star review.
There's a Free Version
If you're interested in trying them out, you can sign up for their free version here.
Although it's pretty limited, you can get a good taste for it. We outgrew it within a couple of weeks because I needed to personally setup webhooks, Zapier integrations and internal processes with our project management system to get everything just the way I wanted it. When you get to that level - this thing is pure shining gold. So, go try it. Now.
If you need help setting up Podium or are curious about what the heck webhooks or integrations might look like for your company, give us a shout via that little chat button the the left. And yea, you guessed it - that's Podium.