No matter what industry your firm belongs to, customer reviews are at the core of any business. While positive customer reviews can give a much needed boost to your business operations, negative reviews can emerge anywhere, anytime. Especially in today’s age of increased access to social media channels, it has become easier than ever for customers to provide their feedback about your product or service online.

Want to know how to handle negative customer reviews like a pro? Here are a few guidelines that you should follow. But remember; prior to responding to negative online posts, contemplate if a review is worth commenting on. 

Be Honest

As they say, “honesty is the best policy”; admit your mistake. Make every possible effort to let the customer realize that you made a genuine error.

Regardless of what happens, do not make stories or excuses. If there has been a slip up at your end, apologize immediately. Do not point fingers at anyone. And most importantly, establish a way to move forward with the disgruntled customer.

Listen

Do not react aggressively. Always listen to your customer’s grievances. Let them know you are available to address their issues.  Thereafter, analyze what went wrong and where.  Has your customer service been disappointing? Execute a plan to address the problem.

Stay Calm

Do not lose your cool on social media. Handle criticism like a champ. Stay calm and collected. If you lose your head over the Internet, the entire incident will cause considerable damage to your reputation which can at times spiral out of control. Engage in a rational discussion with your followers.

Make Amends

Once you have identified your mistake, apologize to the affected parties and promise to be better. This will establish trust and goodwill.  At the same time, it will let your audience know that you care about them.

Interact Like A Person

Avoid corporate jargon when making apologies to an unsatisfied customer. Talk to your customers like a real person. Empathy is critical. Imagine rectifying a situation with a loved one when apologizing to customers. Speak to them in a meaningful, personal way, not like a salesperson.

 

To sum it all up, the most effective way to deal with negative customer reviews is to handle it with finesse and honesty. Don’t aggravate the situation by playing victim or creating an unnecessary scene. Remember, the reputation of your brand and company is at stake here.

If you need professional assistance to remove negative reviews from defamatory sites, contact Online Defamation Defender. The firm offers exceptional online reputation management services that can salvage your search engine reputation, remove negative reviews, bury negative searches, and provide cheater website removals.