So Your Business Got A Bad Review, Don’t Panic. Here’s What To Do

by Marc W. Owner

Most of us have written reviews on a business, whether good or bad. We also know that a good review doesn’t gain as much attention as a bad review. Provide a service well and your customer may tell 5 people. But do a bad job, or leave a customer unsatisfied, and that customer may tell 10 friends and rant about it on Facebook, yelp, etc. This one bad review can be detrimental for your company. If you get one, don’t panic. There are a few steps you should follow in order to save your reputation.

Automate it

There are programs on the market today that allow you to “listen” to what is being said about your company, good and bad. This includes posts on social media. If your company is large enough, you may want to hire or implement a reputation management team. Having just one or two people to monitor the web and address reviews and issues could be the best way to stay on top of potential issues. Marketing teams could also double as reputation management. Try to respond to negative reviews at least 24 hours after you receive them.

Stay calm

Do not get upset and respond right away. Especially do not argue with the customer. Simply apologize for their bad experience, offer an explanation, and possibly offer the customer a coupon or incentive to come back.

Turn criticism into an advantage

Read the customers review and analyze what went wrong. Use it as an opportunity to make your business or processes better

View it as an opportunity

Just as you should turn a negative review into an advantage, you should view it an opportunity to grow and be better. All criticism, whether harsh or constructive, should be seen as helpful.

Reply quickly

Try to reply to negative feedback within 24 hours. If you do not have a designated reputation management team, set aside about 30 minutes per day to address customer complaints, if any.

Be sure to put your customers first

Most companies have some sort of a customer satisfaction policy that covers negative reviews, complaints, etc. Send coupons, make phone calls, send replacement products or a voucher for a free service, etc. Make the customer feel important and let them know that their opinion and experiences matter. They may even take down their review, or write a positive rebuttal commending you on your response.

Takeaways: Negative reviews are bound to happen. Do not be afraid of them. Respond quickly, remain professional, and make the customer feel respected ad important!

How do you deal with negative customer reviews?

Source: thewebsprout.com