In a perfect world, every review for your business would be nothing short of glowing. But the reality is that even the most successful, well-established businesses sometimes have to deal with negative reviews.
So if it happens to you, first thing’s first: don’t panic. With the right approach, you can quickly diffuse the situation and even turn a negative review into a positive one. Here’s how.
Think before you act
If you’ve just received a notification about a poor review, resist the urge to type out a response as soon as you see it. Although you want to respond as promptly as possible, it’s important to take a deep breath first. This will help you avoid responding in the heat of the moment and potentially saying something that isn’t as professional as you’d like it to be.
Always be empathetic
Regardless of the reason for it, a negative review should be handled with sensitivity and patience. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and try to see the situation from their perspective. Even if you don’t entirely agree with their feedback, think about how to phrase your response in a way that shows you take their opinion seriously. For example:
Dear [Name], thanks for sharing your feedback and we’re very sorry to hear our service didn’t meet your expectations. Please feel free to reach out to [contact name and details] so we can discuss the matter further and resolve this issue as soon possible.
Try to take the issue offline
If the issue at hand can’t be resolved quickly, offer a way to work through it privately via phone, email or in person. This will save you from having a potentially uncomfortable conversation in public.
Explain your side of the story (if needed)
Often negative reviews are a result of a simple misunderstanding or miscommunication. If that’s the case for you, you can write a short response explaining your side of the story – but remember to always keep it factual and polite.
Request to remove fake or misleading reviews
Fake reviews are an unfortunate reality and they can unfairly tarnish a business’ reputation – especially when it comes to Google My Business (GMB) marketing. If you know that a review is fake or misleading, you can flag it as inappropriate via your Google My Business account.
Use it as an opportunity to improve your business
Although negative reviews can sting, they can also be a valuable learning tool if they’re legitimate. Take the opportunity to use criticisms as a way to improve your business. Feedback is crucial for ongoing success, even when it isn’t as positive as you’d like.
These days, customer reviews can pop up anywhere from Google to social media to directory listings – you name it. With White Pages Connect, you can centrally monitor your customer reviews from around the web and reply to feedback directly – saving you time and making life easier.
