No one likes seeing a negative review of their business. In fact, a really scathing one may make you want to lash out in anger at the person who left it. However, there is definitely a wrong and a right approach in terms of how to respond to negative feedback from customers. And, if you want to stay in business, you have to handle negative reviews appropriately. After all, they’re just part of running a business.
Don’t Put It Off
First things first, when you see a negative review, you might be tempted to fire off an anger-fueled response. Don’t. Instead, take a deep breath. Think about your business and the image you want to portray. Then, once you’re calm, go ahead and get your response out.
Responding quickly is one of the best ways to respond to negative feedback, providing you keep your cool. That’s because a fast response shows customers that you care about what they have to say, that you stay on top of reviews and feedback, and that you immediately try to right any wrongs. This can restore the faith of the angry customer and show other customers the kind of business owner you truly are.
Say Thank You
When you respond to negative reviews, a “thank you” to the reviewer may be appropriate. Thanking them for coming to your establishment, supporting your business and even for sharing their feedback with you. After all, as hard as it may be to hear, bad feedback does ultimately help you to grow and improve. Plus, you want to start off politely and to show the customer respect.
Try to Make it Right
Finally, when responding to reviews, it’s always nice to try and do something to make things right, especially if you feel like your business genuinely did make a mistake of some sort.
Offering a discount, a free service or product, or even just a phone call to talk things over can really put you and your business in a positive light. Plus, it might enable you to keep a customer you might have otherwise lost for good.
Contact C0MPLÉX1
Want more tips on how to handle negative reviews? Or, maybe you need help managing your online reputation in general. Whatever the case may be, C0MPLÉX1 can help. As a full-service SEO agency, we can help your business develop and maintain a positive online presence. Contact us to learn more about how we can help you!