Reviews have become an indispensable part of the shopping experience in modern times. Even when you’re shopping for new windows, checking out window reviews is a great way to identify a consistent and reliable installation company to handle your window install.
However, what should you look for in window reviews of an installation company? How can you spot a company with a rich history of positive customer interactions and tell it apart from a company that just engages in review stuffing?
Let’s go over what to look for in a window review that helps you identify a good installation company and ways to corroborate positive reviews so you know they came from real customers:
Does the Installer Have a Realistic Number of Window Reviews?
One of the first things that can help you sort out a reliable company with real customer reviews from one that engages in review stuffing is whether they have a realistic number of window reviews for how long they’ve been in business.
Window installation is a big ticket purchase. In other words, it’s a large, infrequent expense… Well, it’s an infrequent expense when you have well-made windows that are installed properly. If you have poorly-made, low-quality windows that are installed badly, then you’re going to have to replace them much more frequently.
While every home needs windows, they aren’t something that every homeowner buys every year. And, when you consider that, according to sources like Thrive Agency, “only between 5% and 10% of customers actually pen reviews,” it can take a long time for a window company to get a lot of reviews. Especially if they’re a local business rather than a national chain.
So, if you see a company that was founded in the last couple of years claiming to have a thousand 5-star reviews on Google, Yelp!, and Angi, that could be a sign that they’re stuffing their profiles with phony reviews that they paid for.
Do the Window Reviewers Say the Same Things Over and Over?
If the company has a lot of window installation reviews, take some time to read through them. Does each reviewer say the same thing over and over? To the point where it’s almost word-for-word or like a Mad Libs template?
If so, that could be a sign that the reviews aren’t genuine. It could actually be a template used by a mass review service that boosts companies’ online profiles with fake customer reviews. Though, it’s not always the case. People aren’t always professional writers in their spare time, and a lot of people do like to be brief unless they feel really strongly about their service.
To sort out fake reviews from ones that are genuine, be on the lookout for customer reviews that share stories. What goal was the reviewer trying to achieve? How did the window installation company help them achieve it? Why was the reviewer satisfied with the service? These kinds of details can help you sort out genuine positive reviews from paid-for bot reviews.
Also, if you want to write a review for any organization in the future, including details like what you wanted and how the company you’re reviewing delivered on it can help you make a compelling review that others will find engaging and useful.
How Does the Company Respond to Window Reviews?
Does the company being reviewed ever respond to the reviews they get? If so, how? Seeing how a company responds to both positive and negative feedback can tell you a lot about what kind of experience you can expect if you decide to work with them.
Do they pick out details about the installation? If a review is negative, what remediation do they offer to try to turn that 1-3 star review into a 5-star review? While not every online interaction is going to be positive, the professionalism and general tone of the replies a company leaves can tell you a lot about them, even when they’re in disagreement with their customers.
For example, 2020 to 2021 was a really difficult time for every kind of business. Global supply chains all experienced extreme disruption, putting long delays on manufacturing timelines. During this period, there were many customers who were left waiting longer than usual for their windows to be manufactured and shipped out.
While proactive communication and explanations about the pandemic’s effects on supply chains helped customers understand the delays, the situation still led to a lot of negative window reviews across the board. Even companies that typically maintained a near-perfect record for customer satisfaction got hit with window reviews knocking the long shipping delays during that catastrophic period.
Can You Reliably Identify or Communicate with the People Writing the Window Review?
One way to vet any window installation company is to reach out to their old customers and ask them for a recommendation. This can be challenging, however. Even legitimate reviewers often use pseudonyms online and hide their personal details to avoid getting endless crank or spam calls from scammers.
The use of fake online names by real people can make it really tough to track them down and get a direct endorsement that you know comes from a real person. Here, it can be helpful to check not just online, but around your neighborhood to find people you know who have gotten windows and doors installed by the company you’re thinking about working with.
Online social media platforms like Nextdoor can be incredibly helpful here. Nextdoor generally requires users to identify themselves and where they live, so you can be more confident that whoever you talk to on that platform will be someone you know and can trust from your neighborhood.
Alternatively, check out community groups on platforms like Facebook to see what, if anything, the users there have to say about a company. Getting window reviews from real people you know you can trust is a great way to find a top-tier window installation company.
Need Reliable Window Installation in Tampa Bay? Choose Karoly Windows!
Karoly Windows & Doors has proudly served customers throughout the greater Tampa Bay area for over 25 years now, earning high praise and accolades from customers and professional organizations alike over the decades.
We have hundreds of 5-star window reviews on Google, Yelp!, and other review platforms that we earned through hard, consistent work that leaves our customers super satisfied with the quality of their new windows and doors.
Check out our online reviews yourself or talk to any of your neighbors and friends who’ve worked with Karoly in the past—you’ll likely find a strong recommendation tor us because of how dedicated we are to doing things the right way, every time.
Reach out today to request a free in-home consultation for new window installation from the top experts in Tampa Bay!
