My name is Gayla Zoz and you are listening to the Simple Marketing Academy Podcast Episode #15.
Today’s topic is one that most business owners dread.
I’m talking about negative reviews.
Oh. You’ve never had a negative review? Well, I’m guessing it’s because you haven’t dug deep enough. Go online. Google your company. And look at all the places where people can leave reviews. Some you’ve heard of. Like Google and Yelp. Some you probably haven’t heard of. But those review sites are there. And reviews about your company may be laying there. Undiscovered by you. Seen by many.
About 10 years ago, before reviews were the thing they are today, one of my clients just happened to stumble upon a review site that featured just one review of this firm. This review was from a disgruntled prospect. This person hadn’t even been a client. Yet there it was. The negative review warning others away.
Nobody knew it was there. But who knew how many people had seen it? This review had to be handled.
Bad reviews are hard to escape. If you’re in business, you’re going to get a negative review every now and then. It’s not a matter of if you will, it’s a matter of when.
When it happens, it can be extremely painful. Somebody writes something unflattering about your business. Maybe it’s justified. Or maybe it’s not. Regardless, it’s out there. It’s public. And anyone who searches for your business is going to see it.
I’ve worked with some business owners who pooh-pooh the whole review thing. They think, no one reads those reviews, so, no action necessary.
I beg to differ. Reviews matter these days. Everyone reads them. I read them. You probably do, too.
Just take Google, for instance. Google is the world's most popular search engine, and when your prospects start researching products and services, business listings appear -- along with recent customer reviews with starred ratings and comments.
There’s a lot of research out there about how much people rely on online reviews to make their purchase decisions. Research says that 85% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Research shows that 91 percent of people regularly or occasionally read online reviews, and 84 percent trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. And people who read reviews form their opinion about a company quickly. More than half form an opinion after reading between one and six online reviews. Negative customer feedback is unavoidable, so these figures highlight the importance of dealing with it appropriately, professionally, and effectively.
All businesses should expect a few negative reviews, but if your overall review profile on a particular site shows these to be outliers and a small percentage compared with mostly positive reviews, then it simply doesn’t damage you in most cases. Often, customers can read the review and tell that the complainer is out there or unreasonable. These won’t really impact you if you’re overall doing a good job in serving people, particularly if you have sufficient positive reviews.
In fact, research has also shown that having a few bad reviews can actually be a good sign. 68% of consumers are more likely to trust a company when they see both good and bad reviews, with 30% of people suspecting censorship when they don’t see any negative reviews. Of course, having lots of negative reviews is off-putting. That’s why you need to pay attention to your reviews and respond quickly if a negative one shows up.
By the way, if you’re not paying attention to your Google reviews, you should be. Your Google listing can have a big impact on your ability to attract new clients or customers.
Let’s face it. Many—okay….MOST—business owners dread responding to bad online reviews. It can feel like a digital confrontation. Who hasn’t looked on with horror at a back-and-forth between an unsatisfied customer and a defensive business owner? It’s like a train wreck. Hard to look away.
But, I’d like to suggest that your response to a bad review doesn’t have to end in a digital catfight.
One of the best ways to manage negative reviews is to change the way you think about them.
But what if you could take a different perspective? What if you could see a negative review as something other than a problem? What if….you could see bad reviews as an opportunity?
Or…dare I suggest… a gift?
I know. It seems counterintuitive.
Bad reviews don’t have to create anxiety. They can be a way to improve your brand and customer service. After all, research shows that customers are 45% more likely to visit your business if your company responds to negative reviews.
Typically, when customers who leave bad reviews want three outcomes from a complaint. They want the company to listen to them. They want to feel like the person listening empathizes and understands. And they want a resolution.
So, how when a bad review happens to you, how should you respond? Here’s what I suggest.
First, Assess the Situation,
Before you respond directly to the reviewer, take a moment to assess the situation and think about your response before you reply. An unfair complaint may leave you angry, but it is important to avoid a hasty emotionally charged reply. Customers have a lot of power online, and if you react to a negative review without thinking it through, you will only further anger your customer and add fuel to the online fire.
Your best bet is to talk to those who interacted with the unhappy reviewer. Find out what happened. Was it a misunderstanding? A difference in expectations? An oversight by a staff member? A process-related problem? Look for the root cause and be open to all the possibilities. Negative reviews are a gift when they reveal problems that aren’t easily seen from your perspective inside the company.
That said, not all bad reviews will be a result of problems in your business. Some will happen because of a fundamental disconnect between what you promised, and what the customer thought you promised, And some will happen for no reason at all. No matter why it happened, the important thing is to stay cool. Think it through before clicking "reply."
If someone on your team made a mistake, admit it.
No business is perfect. Everyone screws up at one time or another. It’s how you respond to these mistakes, though, that determines how customers perceive your brand. In fact, research shows that 85% of Americans are willing to stick with a company or a brand that has a history of owning up to its mistakes. Customers know that your staff won’t always perform perfectly, but they expect you to take responsibility for mistakes when they happen. When you do, you’ll build more rapport with clients and create loyal advocates.
If the reviewer isn’t being rational, take the high road.
Let’s face it. Some people are itching for a fight. Some people aren’t interested in finding a solution. They just want to stir the pot. The good news is that most rational people can tell when a reviewer is complaining just to complain. Your clear, compassionate, and level-headed response will earn you the respect you deserve. Trust me on this.
Ask questions when details aren’t clear.
Some clients will focus more on submitting a negative rating than they will on explaining what caused the rating. That’s when your response to the reviewer will be a clarifying question so you can figure out what the problem is. This will start a dialogue that will help you diagnose—and ultimately solve—the client’s problem.
Write your public response.
Once you have some idea of what might have happened, and you have some objectivity in the matter, it’s time to publicly respond to the review.
Research has shown that customers typically expect a response within one hour if they have complained on social media. You should always aim to reply within this time frame, but you must carefully consider your response. Sometimes it’s not possible to reply within an hour. If that’s the case, shoot for replying within 24 hours.
If you’re wondering if it might it be easier to just hide and reach out privately to your customer, maybe giving them a call or sending them an email so no one else has to see your response, I advise against trying to respond on the down low.
Your best bet is to respond on the platform that the reviewer used to write their review AND respond privately at the same time. Don’t shy away from the digital confrontation.
When you write your response, remember that reviews—and your responses—are public. For instance, on Google, your responses to reviews are visible on Google Search and Maps. Everybody can see them.
This is a good thing. Your responses don’t just impact the reviewer. That’s why they’re so important and have the potential to be so powerful. When you respond publicly to bad reviews, it teaches everyone who reads your reviews a little bit about your company’s values. It shows that you care about feedback. You are attentive. You are not asleep at the wheel. This can help to build your reputation, earn trust, and encourage more reviews.
Empathize and offer solutions.
Always be polite and respectful to customers who have complained. If a customer is angry, responding in in kind will only make matters worse. If the reason for negative feedback is your fault, admit your mistake and apologize. Customers value honesty, and offering an apology shows you empathize with their situation. Make sure to offer to make the situation right by providing some sort of solution.
Take the sticky situations offline.,
If the issue is complicated and will take a lot of time and back and forth communication to resolve, there’s really no need to do it on the review site. Take the conversation out of the public eye. Leave a comment on your customer’s review post to show you have seen and acknowledged it. Then, contact the customer by calling, emailing, or messaging them.
Sign your name.
This may seem like such a little thing, but it’s an important detail that goes a long way. Signing your name after each response shows the customer that you’re a real person, not a bot. Signing your name makes your response more personal. Customers tend to be happier with this because it shows your company is invested in their review. Whatever you do, never reply in manner that lacks warmth and empathy. This is not the time for Dear {state your name}.
Request an update for the review.
If you feel like the customer is satisfied with your team’s response, ask them if they’d be willing to update their review. Since you’ve just changed their perspective, it’s the perfect time to ask them to edit their original feedback. Remember, that review is still public and future leads may not read the whole thread and see the positive outcome. Updating the original review is the best way to prevent you from gaining a negative reputation online.
Make Unfair Reviews Disappear.
Sometimes customers leave bad reviews with outrageous claims. Some negative reviews may violate rules of the review site. Also, false reviews can be posted by disgruntled former-employees or even competitors. Having the review site take down unfair reviews is easier said than done, but it’s possible in some situations. If a negative review is clearly out of bounds, take the time to read the site’s policies. If the review violates those policies, contact the site or use its tools to flag the review for administrative attention.
And finally, the dilute the negative reviews.
Have you ever heard the saying, the solution to pollution is dilution?” Well, the same theory applies to negative reviews. If you have a lot of good reviews, a few negative ones won’t stand out. However, if you have hardly any reviews, the bad ones will tend to stand out. The fix is easy. Why not encourage your happy customers to review you? The positive reviews they leave will appear at the top of the list of reviews, pushing the bad ones farther down the list.
Here’s the key takeaway. Negative reviews are rarely fun. But if you change your perspective, you can make them work for you in ways you may never have expected.
That’s it for this week’s episode of the Simple Marketing Academy podcast. I’ll catch you next time.
