A Cost, Really?
When a Canadian SMB executive refuses to invest in a review management tool, it's often because they look at the cost without measuring the counter-value. This article breaks down the math.
The 5 KPIs That Matter
- 7-day reply rate: target ≥ 80%.
- 90-day weighted average rating: target ≥ 4.3 (B2C), ≥ 4.5 (medical).
- Monthly review volume: > 0% m/m growth after 3 months.
- Local Pack position: top 3 on your 5 main queries.
- Listing → action conversion: 8-15% by sector.
6-Month ROI Calculation (typical SMB)
Canadian restaurant, 60 reviews/month, $45 CAD average ticket, 25% net margin.
Before
- Reply 35%, rating 4.0, Maps #6, conversion 5%, 1,800 visits/month
- 1,800 × 5% × $45 × 25% = $1,013 CAD / month
After 6 months
- Reply 92%, rating 4.4, Maps #3, conversion 11%, 2,700 visits/month
- 2,700 × 11% × $45 × 25% = $3,341 CAD / month
Net monthly gain: +$2,328 CAD
Tool cost: ~$65 CAD/month
Gross ROI: 3,581%
Even divided by 4 (conservative): 895% ROI.
Unquantified Benefits
- Internal time: 4 hours/month × $50 CAD = $200 saved.
- Executive stress: not measurable but real.
- PIPEDA + GDPR compliance: DPA + hosting saves audit risk.
- Asset valuation: SMB with 4.5 rating and 200+ reviews resells for 18-25% more.
How to Measure
Excel sheet + Google Business Profile Insights (free) are enough the first year.
Quarterly Plan
| Month | Action |
|---|---|
| M0 | Initial audit: export 90 days of reviews, compute baseline KPIs |
| M1-M3 | Workflow + monthly tracking |
| M4 | First ROI review |
| M6 | Decide continue / change |
| M12 | Asset valuation |