10 tips for responding to negative reviews

Negative reviews about you or your business, showing up in the top results on Google, can be damaging to your image. In fact, 88% of consumers are influenced by online reviews. You have customers, and they have opinions. And today more than ever, people share their reviews, the good and the bad. These online reviews matter — and that is why you need to put a process in place that encourages your customers to leave them. But you will also need to keep an eye on what they write and respond to negative reviews in a relevant way. Because those are the ones with the greatest potential to hurt your company. If you would like expert help managing the negative reviews on your Google My Business page, Semji offers a turnkey solution that removes every comment. While your first reaction to a negative review might be to get defensive, think twice. The right response to a bad review can turn the customer’s attitude around and convert them into a loyal customer. In fact, 95% of dissatisfied people will return to a business if a problem is resolved quickly and effectively — and some consumers may even delete their negative reviews. But it is often hard to know what to say or how to handle an angry or unhappy customer, so here are a few tips:

1. Stay calm

It is easy to feel angry and get defensive when a customer leaves you a bad review. But your online reputation is more important than proving who is right and who is wrong, and your first priority should be to change the customer’s negative opinion of you. No matter what the customer says in their review, do not say the problem is their fault, even if it actually is. Apologize for the bad experience they may have had and offer to find a solution that would satisfy them. Remember that other potential customers may be watching to see how the problem is handled. If you show that your business listens and responds appropriately to feedback, you build a sense of trust that reaches both the author of the original review and all your potential customers.

2. Respond quickly

In most cases, customers not only want the problem to be resolved, they also want to see how you handle the situation. If you do not respond quickly enough to a concern raised online, a customer’s negative feeling can fester, leading to additional complaints on review sites and social media. Responding to negative reviews also helps you stand out from your competitors. Many of your competitors will not always pay attention to reviews, so users will remember the businesses that really care about what they think.

3. Mention the company name only when it is essential

If your company or brand name appears too often on a review web page, you run the risk of seeing these reviews show up in the top results of a Google page. Even so, a well-crafted, personalized response will help build their trust. Refer to the customer’s review in a positive way, for example by thanking them for their comments about a specific store visit or transaction, then tell them you are committed to solving their problem.

4. Use templates

Templates eliminate mistakes when crafting responses. When your employees have approved templates they can use to handle different types of reviews, they feel more comfortable responding — and you get the assurance that they will use the right tone for each response. It is best to ask them to personalize the templates when responding to specific situations.

5. Continue the conversation over the phone

If you have received a negative review, remember that everything you reply to that review will be visible to everyone. The best approach is to offer to call the unhappy customer so you can resolve their problem more effectively. Even if the person does not respond, anyone who sees the exchange will know that you tried to put things right.

6. Be proactive

45% of people share their negative experiences on social media, and 35% are likely to post negative reviews after a bad experience. If you actively and regularly monitor review sites and social media, you will spot complaints quickly and can reach out to dissatisfied customers to resolve the issue before they submit a negative review on other sites.

7. Ask for negative reviews to be updated

If you have managed to resolve a customer’s problem following a bad experience, do not hesitate to politely ask them to change their negative review into a positive one. In the best case, you gain a positive review; in the worst, you have responded to a review without losing your cool, which can only improve your reputation.

8. Ask for positive reviews

The last thing you want is for your negative review to be at the top of the list of reviews. Make sure you have enough positive reviews to reduce the visibility of the negative ones. When a customer praises your customer service, thank them and ask if they would like to share their experience online through a review. It is good to strike while the iron is still hot!

9. Do not overlook positive reviews

There is no reason not to respond to positive reviews; it clearly improves your reputation and customer satisfaction too! What is more, some 5-star reviews may include a few remarks or questions. Responding to your satisfied customers will boost their loyalty a little more.

10. Monitor your reviews

It is important that you know what customers are saying about you. Has someone left a bad review about your business? Do you have 5-star reviews? Which review sites do your customers use to leave comments about you? To stay informed, use a review tracking tool to see what your customers are saying about your business on the main online review sites. Google is often the gateway for internet users to form an opinion about your brand.

Remember that negative customer reviews can hurt your revenue. Managing your online reputation has become essential. For complex issues, turn to professional solutions to improve your online reputation.