Boosting reviews: Why and how you should focus on customer feedback
Why customer feedback is important for the success of your app on the Xero App Store, with tips from the team at accounting integration, Amaka.
For Xero app partners, customer feedback is crucial to ensure the delivery of high-quality user experiences. Positive reviews are a form of organic marketing, increasing the awareness and reputability of your app. Delivering a standout user experience and engaging with reviewers are great tactics to help with the success of your app on the Xero App Store.
In this article we’ll explore different approaches to boosting your customer reviews and look into the tactics Amaka has used to become the first app to receive 1000+ five-star reviews on the Xero App Store.
Why are reviews important on the Xero App Store?
Verified customer reviews are extremely valuable for apps integrating with platforms like Xero. Much like many users who purchase a product online, Xero customers rely on reviews to evaluate your app. A strong rating and positive feedback can boost the credibility of an app, building trust with potential users while affirming the choice of current users.
By proactively collecting reviews, app partners can actively create a cycle where positive ratings gain exposure, leading to even more downloads and reviews. This community-driven approach offers social proof that convinces customers that an app will provide value to them and their business. Strong reviews can also mean getting access to greater marketing opportunities that platforms, like Xero, have to offer, such as inclusion in campaigns and spotlighting apps on the Xero App Store.
Additionally, reviews also offer insight into user sentiment and shape the perception and behaviours of those that read them — adding a sense of transparency that marketing content alone cannot achieve. App partner product and success teams can utilise this feedback for future product improvements.
You can read more about this in our creating a great app docs.
So, how did Amaka get 1000+ five-star reviews on the Xero App Store?
Leveraging the onboarding experience:
Amaka focuses on delivering an excellent user experience right from the initial setup. Users are encouraged to go through a guided one-on-one Zoom onboarding journey with the Amaka team. Amaka then uses these engagements to ask about the onboarding experience, and to prompt customers to leave feedback on the Xero App Store.
Direct engagement with Customer Success
Direct engagement with the Amaka Customer Success team is important in building trust with customers. Having human contact encourages users to provide reviews based on that helpful experience. By being proactive about soliciting feedback, apps can quickly build up a reputation of quality that then helps drive conversions.
Having a system to collect and prioritise feedback
Having a deep understanding of both your own app and how it integrates with Xero is an important part of providing quality support. The Customer Success team at Amaka are Xero-certified and CPA-trained to ensure they’re able to help all kinds of users solve technical product matters.
Reviews can also be used to guide future development. Amaka’s Customer Success team has a system for collecting and prioritising feedback. This is then shared with Development and Product teams in order to make bug fixes, updates and improvements. This ultimately helps Amaka create a better product, gather more feedback and continue the cycle of improvement.
Tips to generate more reviews
There are several effective tactics app partners can use to proactively collect more reviews and feedback points from users.
- Understanding when and where to ask for reviews can will result in higher response rates:
- Prompting reviews via channels that you are already using to communicate with customers, such as in-app messaging, email, after support interactions and at the end of research interviews.
- Ask for feedback at opportune times, like after in-app milestones or workflow completion, or after releasing new product updates.
- Streamlining the review submission process also encourages reviews. It’s important to make the process quick and easy for users to leave genuine ratings.
- Remember to give customers enough time to experience the value of your product and try not to overwhelm them with too many requests that could interrupt their workflow. With the right triggers and flows, app partners can generate a steady influx of reviews to grow their reputation - Monitor and respond to reviews regularly and publicly with succinct, helpful and honest feedback. Show your customers their feedback is valued by replying to both positive and negative reviews, or even highlight positive feedback on social channels.
- Setting clear expectations about onboarding and ongoing support availability is vital in creating more positive experiences. For example, Amaka’s unlimited, ongoing support is communicated across various areas of the website and in emails, making customers aware that the team is ready to help customers around the clock.
Key takeaways boosting reviews on the Xero App Store
Verified customer reviews and feedback are essential for the success of your app on the Xero App Store. Positive reviews and feedback improve credibility, visibility and directly influence the adoption of your app by potential customers. However, quality reviews are earned through delivering excellent user experiences and product functionality, starting from the initial onboarding all the way to the development process.
