As a small business owner, you know that online reviews can make or break your business. While positive reviews are great, negative reviews can be a real challenge, even if you provide excellent customer service. So, what can you do to deal with a bad review? Here are five tips to help you manage negative feedback:
1. Respond quickly:
Address any negative comments your business gets online. Respond to online reviews, whether positive or negative, just like you would in a face-to-face interaction. Be gracious and humble, even if the review’s language is angry. Show respect and appreciation for their experience.
2. Take conversations offline:
If you have a particularly poor review or see multiple critiques, respond by asking for contact information, so you can speak to them personally. Taking the conversation off a public forum will help you keep the interaction more personal and provide a better customer journey.
3. Listen effectively:
When a customer provides negative feedback, what they want is to make sure you hear them. You need to hear what the review is saying, even when you don’t agree with it. Listening to the reviewer allows you to get a better idea of where they’re coming from and gives you the context you need to respond appropriately.
4. Remain professional:
Always be professional. Avoid taking criticism personally and use it as a learning tool instead. Keep in mind that anything you say in a response reflects on your business for years to come. Look at the negative review as giving you something to learn from.
5. Share resolutions:
Responding to negative reviews or feedback doesn’t stop at providing a response. Your response must also include a resolution, and you must follow through with this solution. Let your customer know what your next steps are for fixing the issue and ensuring it never happens again.
Conclusion
By considering negative reviews as a learning opportunity, responding quickly and professionally, taking conversations offline if needed, listening effectively, and sharing resolutions, you can improve your business and gain experience with customer service that is irreplaceable.