Negative Reviews are a Gift
You may not believe this, but negative reviews are a gift. They give you a chance to improve, change a customer perception, and maybe even be a hero. It just requires a bit of an attitude shift.
Do Not Make It Personal.
When someone writes a negative review, they are annoyed at your company, not you. So do not let it get personal. Instead, put yourself in the customers shoes and get ready to engage.
Respond Quickly
If someone posts a negative comment, you need to respond quickly so you can take control of your brand and the narrative. Ideally, you should have notifications go to your phone so you can respond within 12 to 24 hours because in the age of the internet, anything more than that is just too long.
Keep it Professional
Be sure your answers are well written, with good grammar and spelling. Resist the urge to respond quickly on your phone, because auto correct may make you look a bit foolish. It helps to have a standard starting phrase you can cut and paste:
¨Thank you so much for your feedback, we really appreciate it. I am sorry we did not meet your expectations. Please contact me……
Service with a Smile
It is hard to smile when someone says something negative, but that is exactly what you need to do. Thank them for their feedback, acknowledge they are dissatisfied, and offer to have a conversation. Do not try to prove them wrong. That argumentative tone will never end well. The fighting will escalate. You won’t make that person happy and worse you will show other people that if they are dissatisfied, you are likely to treat them poorly as well.
Talk to the Customer
When people write a negative review, they often just want to be heard so give them that opportunity. Reach out. Try to take it offline, so that then you can resolve the issue.
The Bottom Line
Don’t be afraid of a negative review. See it as an opportunity to do better.
marketing moves fast… we’ll help you keep up
Get business tips, tools, trends and training delivered to your desktop