As a business owner, you always find reviews rolling out on Facebook, Google, or any other platform for your company or on products and services. A positive review can help to build customer relationships- on the other hand- a negative review can impact your business.
A negative review may not look like a big deal, especially most of the reviews are positive- but addressing them is best. A negative review can be used as an opportunity to show you care about customer satisfaction.
Here are some proven ways to deal with Negative Reviews-
How to Respond to Negative Review
Most businesses get negative reviews, the first action is to try and remove the review.
That's a wrong approach.
A negative review is not a problem, but not addressing the review can be a problem. Whatever happened between your customer and your business created a negative review.
Try to address the customer with his problem with empathy, compassion, and commitment to make things right. One of the best ways followed by Walt Disney is Hear, Empathize, Apologize, Resolve, and Diagnose.
#1 Respond Publicly
If you want to purchase a product from some company, and you see a negative review. What will be your approach? Would you become a customer?
The answer might be obvious by looking from their perspective. Customers will look out for review sites to buy the product or services.
So, answering the negative review publicly, whether on the customer's post, or in a comment, or on a social media platform, is a great idea to show you care about your customer.
The response should be an apology or a request to make things right again.
#2 Removing Bad Reviews is a Bad Idea
The more you solve the problem or comment on negative feedback - the more customers putting bad reviews end up changing the reviews or editing it.
Solving or answering the question at an early stage helps to build a strong customer relationship. One thing the business that gets customers from reviews does is try to get more positive reviews.
After all, a positive review takes the sting out of one negative review. For example, one negative review in ten positive reviews makes customers pause, but ten negative reviews in 100 positive reviews is not a big deal.
#3 Provide Explanation
Many times it's important to address explanation instead of apology to the customer. Providing more information to the customer to clear the misunderstanding helps to build positive feedback.
For example, if you lose the information regarding the service appointment of your customer due to some technical issues. Explain to the customer with
" We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to all. The technical issue regarding service appointments is fixed. Please re-schedule your appointments."
Remember three things-
- Don't Make excuses
- Always apologize even if the customer is wrong and explain them later.
- Solve problems and fix the customer's issue.
Conclusion
Sometimes, it's difficult to respond to negative feedback. Keeping an even tone with the customer helps for long run loyalty and build customer relationship.
Ignoring negative reviews makes customers unlikely to return. The customer might continue to share his negative reviews or experience offline, causing damage to your business reputation and sales.
Interaction with your audience is important for any business. Communication encompasses aspects of your business, from face-to-face chats to marketing emails.
In the business world, communication with your business partner, employees, customer, and even your insurance provider is a way to translate your dream to success.
Effective communication is not only helpful, but it also helps in business growth and stability.