5 tips for Responding to Online Negativity
Getting bad online reviews can be bad for business, but it does not mean your business is doomed. How you handle the negative review can say just as much as—if not more than—the negative review itself.
These tips will help you get more local traffic through your doors and retain these new customers, despite a bad review.
Stay Calm
No matter what the reviewer says about you, remain calm and do not argue with the reviewer online. You will look unprofessional, especially if the review is on a major review website like Yelp or Angie’s List.
Do not allow yourself to turn away local customers before you have the chance to generate them in the first place.
Do Not Ignore the Negative Review
Do not ignore the review simply because it is negative. Sit down and examine why this particular customer is unhappy. You will want to know immediately if the problem is something that can cost your business foot traffic—or worse.
If the reason is legitimate, the reviewer has almost certainly left the review in order to get your attention and wishes to rectify the problem amicably.
Own Up to the Mistake
If the issue is, in fact, the fault of your business, take responsibility. When people look up your business online, they will look at both positive and negative reviews to weigh your business’s advantages and disadvantages.
If people see that you have tactfully acknowledged and rectified any mistakes brought to your attention, this makes them far more likely to take a chance on you.
Stay Positive
Remember that the person who left you the negative review was simply an unhappy customer. Take this opportunity to turn things to your favor by resolving the issue as soon as you know about it.
People always appreciate when someone is willing to work with them. If you let customers feel confident that you will deal with any issues quickly and peaceably, they will flock to you.
Be Observant
This may sound odd, but think for a moment; what is the customer actually saying in the review? Are they just calling your business poor without mentioning any reasons about why they are unhappy? The review could be intentionally trying to harm your business.
Such reviews just seek to gain attention from others at your expense, so be prepared to deal with negative reviews of this nature as well. People usually leave these reviews for the sake of leaving them and post them under an alias. Let the review itself help you determine its legitimacy.
Responding to a review is just like delivering good customer service across any other medium, whether in person or not. If handled properly, a bad review can actually bring more business through your doors.
By resolving the problem quickly and tactfully, you can promote your business with the review you thought was bad. Keep calm, read the review carefully, and see what you can do to resolve the problem.
