How to Deal With Negative Online Reviews

The key to any successful business is satisfied customers. We all want our clients to have a positive experience, but we should accept that will not always be the case. If you’ve been at it for any length of time, you’ve probably had to deal with a few unhappy people. In the past, they were generally limited to telling their friends and family, but the internet has now given them the ability to voice their opinions far and wide. How to address their concerns will vary from industry to industry, but we should all pay particular attention to how these issues are dealt with in the online world.

Negative Reviews Have a Direct Impact on Your Business

Your customers are spending more time online than ever before and the majority of them will have spent time researching you before calling or visiting. In addition to checking out your website, they’ll likely see your presence on social media and review sites.

According to a study done by Inc.com, 84% of people trust online reviews as much as friends. This means that managing your presence on websites like Google, Facebook, TripAdvisor, etc. is one of the most important aspects of maintaining your online reputation. Reviews posted on these sites will have a huge effect on whether people choose to use your business.

How to Respond to Negative Reviews

The processes involved in responding to customer reviews will vary from platform to platform, but the general strategy will be consistent whether you’re using Google, Facebook or something else.

Apologize & Sympathize

The first thing you should do when receiving a negative review is to acknowledge your customer’s concerns.  Even if you feel that they’re unwarranted, a show of sympathy can go a long way to diffusing the problem. “We’re sorry to hear about your experience, but we appreciate your concerns.”

Add Some Positivity to the Response

At this point you can also insert a positive marketing message into your response. “We’re usually known for our great customer service. Sorry we didn’t meet your expectations this time.”

Get Offline

Give the reviewer the chance to discuss their complaint in person. Let them know that they can contact you directly via email or phone. This will reduce the chance that they’ll post more negative comments online.  “If you’d like to discuss your issue further, please give us a call at [phone number] or email us at [email address].” 

Keep it Simple

It’s probably best if you don’t go into too much detail in your online response. You don’t want to take the chance of upsetting your customer further or saying something that will set an expectation in future complainants.

You can adjust your response to negative reviews based on the nature of your industry and the specifics of the customer complaint. The thing you should remember is that the person writing the review feels they have a legitimate grievance, so try to be as friendly and professional as possible.  When responding, you have the opportunity to connect with the customer who left the review as well as the audience of potential customers who haven’t yet decided to pay your business a visit. If handled correctly, you can turn a negative review into a positive one showing prospective customers that your business is a place where they are respected and their feedback is welcome.

Need Help With Your Online Presence?

Just let us know if you’re interested in implementing the tips above, but you’re not quite sure how to do it. We’d be happy to discuss your needs and help you manage your online presence.

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