There’s a lot of reasons you might be looking to switch your review provider. Maybe you’ve outgrown the platform and are looking for more innovative features, maybe you’ve experienced a lack of customer support, or maybe you’re paying over the odds for tools that you’ll never use.
Maybe the potential of your tech stack is limited by poor integrations, or maybe you’re juggling two platforms for company and product reviews when you could be benefiting from a centralized solution.
Whatever the reason for the switch, it’s well worth making. Sticking with the status quo is a drain on your resources. More importantly, if you can’t run an effective review strategy you won't see the benefits of increased engagement, trust and conversion rates.
So how do you ensure an easy switch over to a future proof solution?
1. Can you transfer your existing company and product reviews to the new provider?
This is by far the biggest concern we hear from brands looking to make the switch. Whilst the platform you're currently using might not suit your needs anymore you’ve still invested time and money in it to grow your reputation, so to lose that would only add insult to injury.
The transfer of data is also where the biggest complexity of the switching process comes in, so you definitely need to address this with whoever you choose to make the switch to. Product reviews are straightforward to migrate, so technically speaking you should have no problems with this. But company reviews can be a little trickier.
Some review providers - like Trustpilot for example - own your company review data, essentially blocking its transfer to any other platform. But there is a way around it.
At REVIEWS.io we’ve created an import process that enables us to go straight to the reviewer to request permission rights on their content, so you can republish it to maintain positive sentiment around your brand.
There is a caveat here though. Google will not allow duplicate reviews, so for that reason imported company reviews can only be published on your own site via a widget, and will not appear on your REVIEWS.io profile page.
2. Will you receive the support you need, both during the switch and beyond?
Whilst switching review providers should be simple and straightforward, it’s still a technical process and things can go wrong on occasion. If this does happen you want to be sure there’s an expert, responsive team on hand to resolve any issues at speed.
You also want assurance that that level of support is ongoing. You can invest in the most advanced solution on the market, but if you run into technical issues and there’s no one there to fix them that solution is worthless.
It’s not just tech support either. A good provider will partner with you to build an effective review strategy for your brand and target market.
With offices in the UK, US, Australia and Germany, we provide local support and round the clock contact. We also work closely with our customers to make sure they get the best out of what our platform has to offer and the biggest possible return on their investment.
3. How will the new platform integrate with your wider tech stack?
A good review solution gives you the tools you need to effectively manage your online reputation. A great review solution offers seamless integrations with all your favorite eCommerce technology so you can provide an exceptional customer experience.
Before you switch providers, consider your existing tech stack and the role your review platform plays in it.
As a bare minimum you’ll want to keep this existing functionality, so consider which integrations are available with your chosen price plan, which will cost you extra, and how long each will take to implement.
You should also look at the capability of these integration and consider how they might hinder or improve your current set-up. For example, most providers offer integration with Klaviyo but to what extent? Will your new configuration allow you to support personalized, engaging email marketing with reviews and UGC?
Our developers have built an extensive library of seamless integrations that are easy to set up and powerful to run. We also keep in touch with our tech partners so we can update our integrations in line with any updates their end for maximum compatibility. If you’d rather, we have an open API available for your own development team.
4. Do you have the resources to make the switch?
Whichever review platform you switch to, there will always be an investment of time and money required, so before you make a final decision on that platform consider the resources you’ll need to get up and running.
Cost of course is the primary factor. Look for a price point that’s fair and representative of the features available - and scour the small print for any hidden fees. We personally think that annual contracts for a SaaS platform are outdated and restrictive, so we offer rolling monthly contracts across all our transparent price plans.
You’ll also need to account for the time it’ll take your team to get to grips with the user interface and platform functionality. REVIEWS.io is built with the end user in mind. It’s quick to set up, easy to navigate, and uses a code free approach across all features.
5. Will the solution you’re choosing now still meet your needs in the future?
Switching is simple, yes. But you don’t want to be doing it too often. In fact ideally you only want to do it once. That means making sure your chosen solution is future proof for your business needs.
This isn’t an easy judgment call to make. The eCommerce landscape is fast paced and what consumers want from their experience is constantly shifting. That makes it impossible to know what you might need from a review solution in three, five or 10 years time.
What you can do is look at what a solution offers now. Does it come with innovative features built for the modern consumer, like review attributes and shoppable UGC galleries? Or is it stuck in the days of simple stars and trust badges? If it’s not moved with the times to date it’s unlikely to do so in the future.
We’re dedicated to constantly improving our review platform, and have more developers on the payroll than we do sales people. That means we can (and do) quickly adapt to new trends in consumer behavior.
We’re also designed for scalability, so you can switch up the features you pay for to suit your needs at any given time - and we’ll always be on hand to help you make the most of them.
Whichever provider you’re currently with, we’ll make the switch to REVIEWS.io as simple as it should be.
We’ve even addressed all the common switch cases so you can see what we offer in comparison. Compare us with Yotpo, Trustpilot, TrustedShops or Okendo to make an informed decision.
If you’re with a provided we haven’t covered it’s still a simple process. Just be sure to address any questions over live chat, as each switch case is different and we want to set you off on the right foot.
Feel like you’re stuck in an inescapable contract? Talk to us today about our buyout option.
