Customer reviews are extremely important for business owners to read, as not only are they critical for maintaining a strong relationship with your customers, but they are also valuable sources of feedback. Online reviews, like those on Google, are one of the most common types left by customers. While positive feedback is wonderful in many ways, you shouldn’t expect every review to be so glowing. Negative reviews can happen for any number of reasons as well. In this blog, we discuss the appropriate ways to engage with negative feedback on your online reviews.
The Bright Side of a Negative Review
Negative reviews can be painful to read, especially as a hard-working business owner. But it is very important to think critically about these reviews. Some reviews, although negative, can present opportunities to improve your business. No business is perfect, and it is important to have the humility to earnestly accept feedback of all kinds, so that you can implement positive changes for future customers, which can lead to more positive reviews in the long run.
Professionalism is Key
First and foremost, you must always remain professional. Perhaps one of the worst things you can do is take a negative review personally. On the contrary, one of the best things you can do is attempt to understand your customer’s perspective of their experience. In nearly every instance, the best possible response to negativity in a review is a timely, polite response which addresses the concerns the customer has voiced. Not only are they more likely to appreciate a fast response, but an authentic, open, and professional response can potentially earn your customers favor back, or even a positive update to the negative review. It is also important to note that all responses to Google reviews are public, so you must consider how the interaction appears in the eyes of a potential (or current!) customer.
Offer Remediations
There is also the option to offer some remediations to the customer if the situation calls for it. For example, you could perhaps ask to speak with the customer via email or phone to potentially sort the issue(s) out with them. This shows you have genuine investment in your customers experience, and reminds the customer there is a real human on the other end of your response.
Understand the Responsibility
When a customer has had a negative experience with your business, taking accountability in a review is not necessarily wrong. Humility can be a very authentic response that customers may appreciate. However, it is important to know when apologies are appropriate, and when responsibility must be personally taken. Empty apologies don’t really help anyone involved, and overdoing it can reflect negativity on your business. Responsibility is recommended in most cases, so understanding where it lies and responding appropriately should be a main focus of your response.
The Takeaway
Negative reviews can certainly be an unpleasant thing to deal with as a business owner, especially one that cares about their customer’s experience. In reality, however, it is very rare for any business to have 100% positive feedback. There are positive aspects of these negative reviews that shouldn’t be overlooked, as they offer potential learning experiences to improve your business. When negative Google reviews receive timely, professional, authentic responses, they are likely to improve both your business for future customers as well as reputation.
If you are searching for professional marketing experience in the Collinsville, IL area, look no further than us here at Hometown Marketing Group. With decades of experience, we have helped hundreds of businesses focus on what they do best, while we handle the rest. Contact us today to speak with one of our representatives, and we will surely help you succeed as well.
