Introduction

Top reputation management companies know that having any business in today’s world means that at some point you are going to have to deal with negative reviews. This is just part of the territory and you are going to need to learn how to deal with it. Believe it or not, it is not so much why or when you get negative reviews, but how you deal with them that plays an important role. In this article, we are going to walk you through the steps you need to take to make sure you are handling negative reviews in a positive way.

 

Negate the Negative

It used to be said that if you don’t have anything nice to say that you shouldn’t say anything at all. That is just not the case anymore. Now, anyone with a computer or other device that can access the internet can say pretty much anything they want about you and their identity remains their secret. This allows for more people than ever to post online reviews about any business interaction they have. You are going to need to learn how to deal with that and we are here to show you how.

 

1. Respond quickly – Within 24 to 48 hours you are going to need to have a well-formulated response to the customer’s concern. This shows the customer that you are serious about the review they left and are willing to take their concerns to heart and make changes necessary to win back their business.
2. Extend an Olive Branch – You need the customer to know that you want a chance to make it right. Offer for them to get in touch with you privately or at your place of business so you have the chance to rectify the problem they had. The best way to do this is to offer them some free stuff. Meaning, if you are in the food service business, offer them a meal on the house. If you are in the clothing business, send them a free replacement. Most customers will not take you up on this offer, but it is important that the public see that you are attempting to make amends.
3. Be Authentic – There is nothing worse in the eyes of the customer than seeing a cookie cutter response from a business. Customers know when they are dealing with a bot or an IFTTT program and it only makes them more upset. Add this to the thousands of other people that are going to see and know the same thing and you are going to lose business. Keep the conversation real and honest and your customer will reward you with repeat business in the future.

 

Conclusion

Getting real customer reviews is important to top reputation management companies because it means that your customers really care, and they want to make you a better business. They went to your place of business for a reason and they want you to give them, and thousands of other customers, a reason to continue to do business with you. Think of negative reviews as constructive criticism and you will be good to go.