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How to deal with bad reviews online

By 29th July 2016 No Comments

How to deal with bad reviews online | Startup Active Review

Arguably one of the most feared aspects of the Internet, for business owners, is receiving negative reviews, so much so, that some businesses shy away from getting involved in online reviews altogether.

But this shouldn’t be the case.

If your business is a good business and gives customers what you promise, then you’re more than likely going to receive shed-loads of positive reviews compared to negative views.

No business is perfect – we all know this. Unfortunately, sometimes things can go wrong and a customer can become unhappy, but the way you handle a bad review can actually turn it into your favour, and in this article, I’m going to show you exactly that – How to handle negative reviews online.

Be Quick, Positive, and Personal

The first thing we need to look at is when the initial review is made. Many of us can be left angry and confused when we first see a negative review about our businesses. But the first thing we need to do here is breath.

Replying to the review in a hostile way – defending your service etc. can and will only add fuel to the fire.

We need to enter this in a positive manner.

I’ve also noticed many articles on this subject telling people to go away for a while and calm down before replying, but I don’t believe this is the best method. Replying to your reviews promptly will help resolve the issue as soon as possible before other potential customers read the negative review.

Don’t just leave it to burn.

When replying to your review, be personal. Use your name rather than referring to the company name as it instantly makes the reply more friendly and approachable.

If you can, try to take the matter elsewhere by offering them a call to discuss the issue.

 

Show empathy with the customer that has left a negative review

When you receive a negative review, the first step is to show empathy with the customer. Let them know that you understand why they feel dissatisfied with the product or service they received from your company.

Even if you disagree, don’t enter into a debate; instead, let them air their grievances so you can understand how to make amends.

 

Make an amends, even if it wasn’t your fault

The simplest way to resolve a negative review issue, once you have got to the root of the cause, is to offer compensation.

This can come in many different shapes and sizes – for instance, if you run a fitness bootcamp, how about offering the reviewer a free session. Or if you sell products online, let the reviewer know that you will be sending them a goodwill gesture in the post.

Doing this instantly removes the cause for the complaint.

Not only that, it also prompts the reviewer to edit their review or even delete it all altogether!

This then makes it more likely to get business from the customer in the future.

Win-win!

 

Detail how you will make things better for future purchases

Learn from the experience and show how you’ll ensure that it doesn’t happen again. If it’s a service you provide directly, tell them the step you’ll take to remedy the issue.

If the complaint is about a product you sell on behalf of other brands, detail how you’ll address it with them.

Try to ensure this doesn’t happen in the first place though with these tips for improving after sales service.

 

Please comment below on any experience you’ve had with reviews online