Western Australia car dealership Westside Auto Wholesale has been announced as one of the country’s ‘most loved local businesses’ by payments platform Podium and the Council of Small Businesses Organisations of Australia (COSBOA).
Podium and COSBOA announced eight winners following an 18 month campaign to find Australia’s ‘most loved local businesses’.
The winners were identified from an initial list of more than 3000 businesses and at the culmination of a nationwide search.
They were analysed based on the quality and quantity of their Google reviews, and selected by Podium, COSBOA and their customers.
Amongst the ‘most loved local businesses was the Westside Auto Wholesale (WA) car dealership that has grown from humble origins to industry leading, without losing its local links and heritage.
In addition The Acoustic Centre (VIC), bikeNOW (VIC), City Realty (SA), DCM Plumbing & Drainage (QLD), North Brisbane Dental (QLD), Titan Plumbing (VIC), and Xceed Real Estate (WA) were also given the title of ‘most loved local businesses’.
“Australia is a nation of local businesses from the East coast to West. Their economic contribution to Australia is immense, their social contribution infinite,” Podium Australia country manager Dave Schiene says.
“In reality, this report could’ve featured almost two-and-a-half million local businesses. Instead, we could feature only eight, but they’re a diverse representation of the millions of businesses who stand beside them. These eight businesses have earned the love and trust of their customers, as seen and measured in their online reviews. These reviews offer more than just support from their customers,”Schiene says.
“Reviews also play a huge role in local business success, with more Australians than ever before being influenced by online reviews. Over the last 18 months, local businesses have faced unprecedented challenges. In spite of that, they’ve innovated, adapted and continued to provide essential products and services to the customers who love them.”
In the wake of COVID-19 reviews have never been more important or influential. According to Podium’s research, 84% of Australians say reviews influence them in discovering a local business while 28% have actively read a business’ reviews while standing outside before deciding whether to go in.
Australian consumers require a minimum 3.5* average star rating to even consider engaging with a business, while one in three (36%) require at least 4*. Quality is important, but so too is quantity and recency. Two in three (68%) don’t trust a high review unless there’s a high quantity of reviews. And as Australians look to put the pandemic behind them, 69% say they read online reviews to validate local businesses COVID-19 safety practices.
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