5 Quick Tips for Handling Negative Reviews
Five star reviews…. Every business wants them. Potential customers are much more likely to choose your business if you have mostly five star reviews. Almost everyone consults review sites in order to choose a company they can trust. Even if they have never heard of your business, they are likely to give your business a chance if you are one of the top-rated listings they see. There are numerous places for people to leave and read reviews including Google, Facebook, and Yelp. If a great rating is so influential, what should you do when you get the dreaded bad review?
Negative reviews can hurt. They’re almost like a person standing in front of your business with a big sign that says, “Watch out for these guys”, but what makes it worse is that online one negative review stays with you forever. Bad reviews happen, but what you do next is what really matters.
Handling Negative Reviews
- Respond Professionally: Professionalism in the face of bad reviews makes your potential clients feel that your business is reliable and trustworthy.
- Respond Promptly: Respond to a negative review right away by expressing regret for your client’s bad experience and promise to begin looking for a solution. A quick response indicates that your company cares and is pursuing a resolution.
- Own the Problem: Be tactful, but still transparent by acknowledging the problem, apologizing, and indicating how you will address it. If you can admit a weakness and work quickly to fix it, you will have earned the trust of many future customers.
- Listen to Understand: The first and most natural reaction to a negative review is to find a way to make it go away, but remember to listen. By listening and learning you may avoid similar negative reviews and improve your overall rating.
- Seek Positive Reviews: A bad review hurts less when you bury it in good reviews! Find creative ways for your business to meet client needs, and then encourage your clients to leave you a positive review! Emphasize that they are helping other people when they leave your business a review.