Reviews are an essential part of doing business these days, but they can also be really frustrating. It’s difficult to know what went wrong when someone leaves you negative feedback – especially if it sounds like something that was just a mistake or misunderstanding on their end! But don’t worry because we’ve got some awesome tips below for responding properly so even bad reviews turn into good ones (or at least more positive).
1. Keep calm and take a breath
Venting frustration is a normal part of business and sometimes people are too harsh with their reviews. The best way to handle it? Thank them for taking the time out of their day (even if they didn’t like your service) and ask what could have been done better in order make things right!
If you find yourself upset after receiving negative feedback, take a moment to think about what kind of response is most appropriate for the situation. You may want or need some canned responses in order not have repeat conversations with customers who gave poor service and left unpleasant impressions on your business’s page!
If we take the below response for example, it is clear that emotions were settling before responding. The responder’s tone of voice was rather aggressive, but it could have been worse. If emotions had been settled before responding to this reviewer then the output may not have come across as sarcastic at all because there would be no anger or frustration in their words – just an understanding that nothing can change what happened and they’re doing everything possible so people don’t go through situations like these again.
2. Remember that you must respond to negative reviews
As businesses increasingly rely on online reviews to attract new customers, it’s more important than ever to know how to respond to negative reviews.
Negative reviews can actually have a positive impact on conversion rates, so it’s worth taking the time to respond. A study showed that businesses who responded to negative reviews saw a 16% boost in customer advocacy.
Remember that the most effective form of marketing is word of mouth. If you don’t respond to negative reviews, you risk losing customer advocacy. In fact, businesses who don’t respond to negative reviews see a 37% decline in customer advocacy.
When responding to negative reviews, be empathetic. Reviewers often just want to be heard. Sometimes, all it takes to make a customer happy is to show them that you have heard their concerns and that you want to solve their problem. Customer satisfaction can be doubled by resolving a customer issue in a single contact. So if you’re able to resolve the issue quickly, you’re more likely to keep the customer’s business.
It’s important to remember that how you treat your customers has a big impact on their buying decisions. In fact, Over 70% of buying decisions are based on how a customer feels they are being treated, So make sure you’re treating all of your customers with respect – even the unhappy ones.
3. Consider the type of reviewer you’re dealing with
When responding to negative reviews online, it’s important to consider the type of reviewer you’re dealing with. There are many different types of reviewers, but most people fall into a few main categories. BrightLocal has some great tips on different types of reviewers, which can help you make the response process faster and more effective.
First-time reviewers: When you’re dealing with a first-time reviewer, consider whether the negative feedback is accurate. If it is, make internal changes to remedy the problem. When applicable, explain how you will prevent this issue from occurring again in the future. Also, if you disagree with the reviewer’s assertions, politely and professionally present your point of view.
Sharpshooters: When you’re dealing with a short, confident review from an expert, keep in mind that brevity is the goal. Condense your response into clear and concise sentences rather than lengthy ones to better reflect this type of reviewer’s communication style.
Serial Complainers: The serial complainer can really hurt your business, so tread carefully. These reviewers have experience with similar businesses and know how to make them look bad in the process. To avoid this, take note of what other companies did when responding to them as well as avoiding making mistakes they made!
4. Resolve the issue
Don’t panic! There are some steps you can take to turn the situation around. First, try to reach out to the customer privately and see if you can resolve the issue. If not, take a look at what went wrong and try to prevent it from happening again in the future. Finally, show other potential customers that you’re committed to customer satisfaction by going above and beyond to fix the problem. By taking these steps, you can turn a negative review into a positive opportunity.
5. Get a second opinion
It’s important to take a step back and assess the situation before responding. You want to make sure that your response is accurate and doesn’t escalate the problem. To do this, get a second opinion from someone who didn’t witness the original interaction. Ask them to read over your response and give feedback on whether it comes across as defensive or angry. You can also share your response with a wider network of people to get different perspectives. Ultimately, you want to be transparent and open to feedback in order to create the best possible response.
6. Remember that a well-written negative review response can increase sales
When you get a negative review, it can be tough to know how to respond. On one hand, you don’t want to leave the review unaddressed, as that could make potential customers think twice about doing business with you. On the other hand, responding negatively to a negative review could make things worse.
So what’s the best way to handle a negative review?
First, remember that a well-written response can actually increase sales. Showing that you’re willing to listen to feedback and make changes based on it can build trust with potential customers.
Second, take the opportunity to learn from the negative review. What problem did the customer have that led to the negative review? Is there something you can do to fix it?
By taking these two steps, you can turn a negative review into a positive opportunity for your business.
7. Take the discussion offline
If you’re running a business, it’s inevitable that you’ll eventually receive negative feedback from customers. While this can be frustrating, it’s important to remember that negative reviews can actually be quite useful. They can provide valuable information about what your product or service is lacking, and they give you an opportunity to resolve issues before they escalate.
Of course, the best way to deal with negative feedback is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Pay attention to your customers and what they’re saying, and take their feedback seriously. Additionally, make sure you have a good system in place for handling customer service inquiries. If customers can’t reach a live agent quickly and easily, they’re more likely to take their frustration out in a negative review.
If you do receive a negative review, the best course of action is to take the discussion offline as soon as possible. Thank the customer for their feedback and let them know you want to resolve the issue. Then, ask them to contact you directly via phone or email. This will allow you to resolve the issue quickly and efficiently, and hopefully prevent any future negative reviews.
8. Ask for a do-over
If you’re receiving negative reviews online, one way to try and remedy the situation is by asking for a do-over. You can reach out to the customer via email, outlining what happened and how you resolved it. Let them know about the steps you’re taking to improve things in the future, and then politely ask if they would be willing to update their review. This could help improve your business’s reputation moving forward.
9. Get more positive reviews to push down the negative reviews
The first thing to do is try and get more positive reviews, people read an average of 10 reviews before they decide to use a business. So if you can increase the number of positive reviews, you’ll start to push the negative review down the list.
10. Respond in a timely manner
Customers expect companies to respond to negative reviews within 24 hours. If you don’t, they may think you don’t care about their satisfaction.
It’s important to take negative feedback seriously and investigate the situation. You can start by acknowledging the customer’s concerns and letting them know you’re looking into it. Then, follow up with an edited review that includes what you’ve discovered and what’s next.
11. Identify and respond to fake reviews, too
It’s important to understand how customers feel about your business online and to be aware of who left the review. Occasionally, a review can come from an ex-employee, a competitor, or it can be fake.
If you come across a fake review, it’s important to take action. You can remove the review or report it to the platform. Following the guidelines for each site will help ensure that you take the appropriate action.
