Answering Negative Reviews

Seeing a negative review about your company as a business owner or employee may lead you to believe that the reviewer is insulting you personally. You might become angry. However, the easiest way to deal with unfavorable critiques isn't to take them personally. The fact that you have a dissatisfied customer won't be resolved by getting angry or outraged. You not only have a disgruntled customer, but you also have one who has openly shared their negative experience with your business online for all to see...

Here are some suggestions on how to defuse a negative internet review and maybe convert an unsatisfied client into one who is prepared to go online and modify their negative review into a positive one.

Keep Calm. Take a Breath

The first thing to do when you receive a negative review of your business is to pause, take a deep breath, and reflect. Avoid responding to the irate consumer in a hurried manner without properly considering your options. (If you need to leave your computer and take a short stroll around the block, do so. (Whatever it takes to calm your emotions.) Never speak back while you're upset.

Don't use the same comments over and over, but having a place to start can be quite helpful, especially if you're furious. Utilizing a prefabricated response, adjust your statement to reflect the criticism of each reviewer.

You Must Respond to the Negative Reviewer

You're mistaken if you believe you can disregard a negative review. A bad review is responded to by not responding. It sends the message that you don't care about your customers to everyone who reads the negative review. Customer advocacy can be increased by responding to complaints. Negative reviews lead to less consumer advocacy when you don't respond.

A frustrated client or visitor frequently just wants to be heard. Sometimes it's enough to show the other person that you appreciate what they had to say and that you're eager to put things right. It's crucial to respond and settle the matter in a single "transaction" as soon as possible. People are twice as likely to return to you after a good first-contact problem resolution.

Responding to unfavorable evaluations also sets you apart from your rivals. Consumers (and potential customers) will remember the businesses that do pay attention to what their customers think because the majority of businesses don't. That implies that they will recall you.

Resolve the Issue

Fix the issue as well as the negative reviewer's complaint. Occasionally, depending on the circumstances, it can entail requesting the client to call you or visit you so that you can speak with them face-to-face about the issue or problem.

The customer (and others) will see that you are genuinely trying to address the problem when you demonstrate that you are making an effort to do so. Going above and beyond is crucial since 84 percent of people believe an internet review just as much as a personal referral. Not only will resolving the issue make the client happier, but other potential customers will observe how crucial customer satisfaction is to the success of your company.

Get a Second Opinion

It's best to have an unbiased third party read your response to the reviewer before you put it online when you're replying to positive or negative reviews. To ensure that your response "reads" effectively to a third party, ask a friend, member of your family, or a coworker to review it for message and tone.

Look at the POSITIVE in the Negative

If you receive a negative review, carefully read what was said. Were they dissatisfied with a worker? Did they have a negative experience there? Did your product or service fail to perform as promised? If you consider what the customer has said, you might see deeper problems that your business has to address.

When you receive a negative review, use this as a chance to learn what your company may be doing incorrectly. You might find strategies to strengthen your organization. Consider the good aspects of a negative review.

Customer Service Is Out In The Public

Social media and review websites are being used by an increasing number of consumers to share their opinions and request customer service. Customers demand a very quick response when using the Internet. And some of these folks enjoy the attention that this extremely public platform attracts.

If you receive a poor review, keep in mind that anything you say to the reviewer is visible to the general public. Therefore, you shouldn't engage in online conflict with that customer. The greatest strategy for dealing with these attention-seekers is to move the conversation offline. Just acknowledge that you heard them and invite them to call you directly so you can take care of the issue. Anyone who witnesses the review will at least know that you made an effort to resolve the issue, even if the individual doesn't call you back. That greatly contributes to developing confidence with potential customers.

Additionally, avoid having a one-on-one online "fight" with a reviewer. Never reply to the same customer about the same issue on a public channel more than twice.

Ask For a Do-Over

If you've collaborated closely with a dissatisfied customer to address the issue, kindly urge them to edit or modify their review to reflect the resolution.