A Quick Word: Utilizing and Managing Feedback

More often than not, your user feedback will come in the form of ratings or stars. And if you’re lucky, it will also have a written review offering constructive feedback.

Whether positive or negative, feedback has the power to help you develop and refine your app to make it more appealing to current users. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your commitment and ability to respond to user feedback), reviews also impact potential users. After all, you’d be more likely to use an app with high ratings, positive reviews, and timely responses from the app developers, wouldn’t you?

Our team at Atomic Robot knows how important feedback can be to the success of your app, so we’re here to give you some tools and advice. 

The Power of the Keyboard: Utilizing Feedback for Development

Reviews can sometimes seem like a necessary evil that helps you — albeit in the unfortunate form of an upset, occasionally irate user — know that your app isn’t working the way it’s supposed to. 

Scanning your reviews can offer important insight into bugs, user-interface issues, and other problems that limit the success of your app, so that you can fix these issues.

Managing Feedback for Future Gain

The online review process does not provide you with the direct contact information of users who submit feedback. However, both Apple and Google do offer mechanisms that let you respond to feedback in their stores. It’s crucial to take advantage of this.

Responding to feedback not only allows you to get in touch with users personally. It also demonstrates that you listen to them and are actively engaged in the life of your app. Think of feedback response as your secret customer service weapon that has the power to change a negative experience into a positive one, or an app critic into one of your strongest supporters.

Managing feedback — especially if you receive many reviews — can be daunting, but remember that your response doesn’t have to be elaborate or life-changing. It does have to be helpful, professional, and meaningful.

Responding Dos and Don’ts

The right response can be a powerful tool — but what exactly is a right response? Responding to user feedback is an art that you can easily master with some of Atomic Robot’s handy tips:

• Do respond clearly, concisely, and with relevant information only.
• Do reply to every review, good and bad.
• Don’t get argumentative or rude — your image is on the line.
• Do reply as soon as possible.
• Do acknowledge and apologize for problems and issues. If possible, let users know how and when you will fix the problem.
• Don’t use the same response for every review — it comes off as impersonal and lazy.

Show the Customer You Care

Here at Atomic Robot, we know from experience that reviews and feedback (even negative ones) can be a huge asset when they’re managed effectively. Help your app grow by considering the feedback you receive and create a community of users by establishing clear lines of effective communication.