What’s the Big Deal About Winning an Award?
Last week we announced the winners of the SeniorAdvisor.com Best of 2015 Awards. This year nearly 900 senior living and in-home care providers across the nation were recognized (you can see the full list of winners here). So what makes these senior care providers stand out from their peers? And, how does winning this award give them a competitive advantage?
Families pay attention to online reviews.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: families pay attention to online reviews. In fact, a recent survey by assisted living software evaluation firm Software Advice found that 82% of families looking for assisted living consult online reviews in their decision-making process. The same survey found that SeniorAdvisor.com is considered one of the most popular and the most trusted sources for online reviews of assisted living.
Spring Hills Senior Communities, an assisted living and home care provider based in New Jersey, recognizes this – their organization was honored as the Most Reviewed Senior Living Organization in the Best of 2015 awards. Christina O’Leary, their Director of Branding & Media, suggests making online reviews a priority in your marketing strategy – her staff has made it a part of their routine to regularly email prospects asking for reviews, and always having the iPad on hand to ask for a review after a successful tour. “You can’t be afraid to ask!” she encourages.
Award-winning businesses listen to and respond to feedback.
Not only do these award-winning providers ask for online reviews from their happy customers on a regular basis, they welcome and respond to their feedback, whether it’s positive or negative. Studies consistently show that families are not expecting perfection from their care providers – a five-star rating comes off as less reliable than a community with 4 or 4.5 stars that has a negative review or two. Families recognize that not every single customer is going to be thrilled with their experience; it’s more important to them to see that the majority of your customers are happy and that when they’re not, you take action and address their concerns.
Portland-based Radiant Senior Living, operator of 12 senior living communities across the Pacific Northwest, was honored this year as the Most Responsive Senior Living Organization of 2015. Despite having the online reputations of multiple communities to oversee, their team consistently maintains a response rate of 90%!
Want to boost your response rate? As with regularly inviting families to review, it’s all about making it a part of your routine. Block out time on your calendar every week for you to read and respond to the previous week’s reviews. Once you claim your listing on SeniorAdvisor.com, you’ll be instantly notified by email each time you receive a review. Don’t know what to say? Check out these tips for responding to online reviews.
The key to getting fabulous online reviews? Deliver great service.
The easiest way to get great online reviews is to provide great service. This year’s Highest Rated Senior Living Organization of 2015, Our Family Home, is a testament to that. The provider of Alzheimer’s care facilities throughout Ohio state boasts a 4.77 star rating on average for all its listings on SeniorAdvisor.com.
One thing the Best of 2015 award winners all share is their commitment to delivering an exceptional experience for their residents and families. Happy families love spreading the good word and helping other families find you by writing you a great online review.
If you want your senior care business to win a SeniorAdvisor.com Best of Award next year, and you know your families are over the moon with your service, make sure you are inviting them to review your business online at SeniorAdvisor.com (and when they do, don’t forget to respond). Online reviews are great for business (we’ve found that positive reviews correlate with double the move rates). Plus, it’s always nice to hear positive feedback, isn’t it? So get out there and embrace your online reviews!
Congratulations to all of this year’s award-winners!
Amelia Willson
Based in Austin, TX, Amelia is the former Content Marketing Manager for SeniorAdvisor.com. When she’s not writing about online reputation management, online reviews, and social media in the senior living space, she enjoys yoga and running with her dog Rockefeller. She graduated from Wellesley College cum laude with a dual degree in English and Medieval/Renaissance Studies.