In the digital age, one well-placed article, blog post, or consumer review can catch fire and go viral in an instant. And, for better or worse, fledgling businesses are inordinately affected by reviews posted online. Indeed, a few negative pieces on social media or sites like Yelp can be enough to sink a startup before it even gets off the ground. Business owners may feel helpless given such circumstances. The good news is, progressive leaders can deal with negative reviews in a positive way. Here are a few ways how:
Address the Issues Internally
Some negative reviews are spiteful, untrue, and unfair. However, other reviews are written by genuine customers who feel your product or service didn’t live up to their expectations. Taking criticism is never easy, but if a negative reviewer makes a good point –– business owners should swallow their pride and pay attention. Odds are, if one person feels your company can improve the way it processes orders or delivers service, many others will also. As such, don’t ignore these reviews, but instead, use them in a constructive way to educate and train employees in the future.
Offer to Fix a Mistake
If someone feels strongly enough about your business to write a negative review, it may not be possible to convert them into a repeat customer. However, just because this outcome is unlikely doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reach out to them and offer to make up for your company’s mistake anyway. Not only does doing this on a platform like social media provide you with a potential opportunity to win a customer back, but it also boosts your business’s brand at the same time. Consumers value businesses that go the extra mile for their customers. All companies make mistakes from time to time; not every business goes out of their way to fix them.
Encourage Positive Reviews
One negative review out of ten might have an adverse effect on a company’s image. But one negative review out of a thousand won’t have any bearing on your reputation. Customers are much more likely to write negative reviews than positive ones. That’s why professionals should encourage their satisfied customers to write reviews expressing how they feel.
Don’t Argue
However you choose to handle a negative review, the key is to never get drawn into an argument online with a customer. No matter how off-base their claims may be, fighting with a consumer will only serve to tarnish your good name.
The Bottom Line
Whether your business offers foundation repair services or you run a restaurant, all business owners should take online reviews seriously. Ignoring them can lead to a number of issues for your company!
