Misinformation in SaaS Online Reviews

Online reviews of Software as a Service solutions represent a mixed bag of information for small business decision-making.

Authentic, honest experiences with SaaS products can genuinely help in the decision-making process. However, relying too heavily on the misinformation contained in fake, automated and paid-for ratings and reviews, will result in a poor selection.

Ratings represent the overall score (usually 1 to 5 stars) that users give a product. Reviews record the written impressions and experiences that users base their ratings on.

Keep in mind that any review older than a year could be obsolete as online software changes frequently, with both positive and negative consequences.

Recently, while performing assessments for a law firm, we narrowed our list to three finalists. Their ratings ranged from 4.4 to 4.8 on G2 and Capterra. User reviews ran similarly, with users citing features, ease of use and efficiency gains on the positive side, and billing practices and mobile app deficiencies on the negative side.

The ChatGPT summaries of those reviews concluded that the software, despite the issues, proved to be valuable tools for law firms. I always fact-check AI answers myself, so I loaded the past year’s genuine reviews into ChatGPT to get quick summaries of the users’ overall sentiments. I found those summaries offered an accurate representation of my own impressions.

You can also check for independent, professional reviews by experts in your field, or technology experts at online publications, who have used the SaaS solution.

Some guidelines on assessing reviews:

• Be wary of product ratings that have a small number of reviews as they do not offer a solid indication of a product’s effectiveness.
• If you notice repetitive language on multiple reviews, that could indicate automated or fake reviews.
• Generic reviews that offer no specifics (“Love it!”, “Awesome!”, etc.) could be automated or fake.
• Check for disclaimers of paid reviews or reviews offered in exchange for free use of the software.
• Check for reviews from “verified” users, such as “verified purchaser”, “verified customer”, etc.

While user reviews and ratings sites should be a component of your final decision, none of their experiences may match yours, simply because your needs and environment will likely be unique.

To determine the best fit for your organization, you need to sign up for demos or trials (preferably both, but definitely a trial).

You can download a copy of my e-Book on performing due diligence on SaaS providers or request an online meeting.