Online presence is important for almost every business and connecting with customers is essential. Customers can now leave feedback and reviews on your products and services through many platforms and collecting positive reviews is very valuable, especially for small businesses, as they act as genuine testimonials.
Potential customers are likely to read reviews before committing to spending money with you, which is why it can be extremely disheartening to receive negative reviews. Here are five ways you can handle negative reviews effectively:
1. Respond promptly
It is vital to respond to any bad reviews and to do it as soon as possible. Keep a calm head and take in all complaints with an open mind. Replying reasonably and quickly is good practice for excellent customer service and is always appreciated. It also shows potential customers that, should issue occur, your business is proactive about fixing them.
2. Give thanks and apologise
Always thank a customer for taking the time to leave a review, even if the review is negative. Showing that you appreciate feedback reiterates that you take all comments seriously. A simple but sincere apology for your customer’s bad experience is always well received and can help maintain a level of trust in your company.
3. Reassure customers
After your apology, it’s essential that you acknowledge the problems raised in the review. If you can resolve the customer’s issues straight away, then do so. If not, assure them that you will be looking into the matter and will keep them updated every step of the way. You should then restore their confidence by promising to do all you can to make sure the same issue doesn’t happen again.
4. Offer contact details
If the issue in the review could take a while to resolve, it’s advised to offer further contact details to the customer, like the email address or contact number for someone who will be able to help them and hopefully resolve the issue quickly. This also takes any further conversation away from your review site or social media, so the details can remain private.
5. Learn from them
All business owners learn as they grow. By accepting and acknowledging negative reviews, you can learn from them. This will help you to improve your service and avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
For any business, dealing with negative reviews in a positive way is essential to regain customer trust. For help with managing your online presence or any other marketing queries, you may have, get in touch with us today.
