Advice For Handling Negative Reviews

For a business, getting positive feedback from customers and clients can have a strong impact on the business. And in addition to making your business look good, it can help to gain exposure. Thanks to the internet, it can’t be easier to garner glowing reviews. But there is also the challenge of addressing the negative comments.

If you check statistic, you’ll see that online users have a knack for trusting online reviews. In fact, many of them regard it as a personal recommendation if they believe the review is honest on all fronts. So there is no disputing how valuable reviews can be for your business if you want to stay competitive. Here is a good piece on how to get more customer reviews if you wish to do so.

Of course, what can be better than sharing these positive customer reviews on every channel available? They can definitely draw attention when placed in the right place. But are you going to do the same with the negative comments you get?

No. Chances are you’ll feel angry and hurt, and you might even want to respond without really thinking it through. But keep in mind that you are a professional, so you need to handle it as a professional would.

1. Don’t Ignore It

When you run away from a negative review, no matter how insignificant or inaccurate you regard it to be, it only makes your company appear guilty. But when you confront the negative review as quickly as possible, it counts in your favor and puts you in a good position to defuse the situation. And what about the fact that responding to reviews also helps with visibility?

2. Establish Awareness

At this point in the game, it doesn’t matter whether the unhappy client is right or wrong. What matters is that you respond in a way that shows you are aware of the situation, and that you are prioritizing the situation with understanding towards the client. And yes, even apologize for the bad experience.

3. Don’t Get Locked In A Battle

It is not recommended to retaliate or escalate the situation more than it already is. Instead, you want to remain calm and helpful throughout the whole process. Because losing your patience will most likely result in a very bad reputation.

4. Make The Conversation Private

If it all possible, do your best to switch the conversation to a more private setting. Obviously, you don’t want to rush into this option and blow your cover. But going back in forth on a public platform won’t reflect well on our business. Whether you need to make a call or undertake a personal visit, just don’t let it go on in public.

5. Assure The Unhappy Client

Another element to responding to negative reviews without losing credibility is to assure the unhappy client you are investigating the problem. Of course, there is no need to go into unnecessary details, like the name of the employee that possibly made a mistake. Just clarify you are prioritizing the case and you are looking into it without wasting time.

Make no mistake; nobody likes getting or responding to a negative review. But they are bound to surface, and they are bound to get your blood boiling. But if you keep it professional, there is no reason why the negative review can go away quicker than it came up.