Receiving bad reviews online can be difficult to deal with. But never fear, HOW you deal with bad reviews can be more influential than the review itself. Here are our tips for dealing with bad reviews online:
Top tips for dealing with bad reviews
Responding and diverting
- Always respond to reviews, especially bad ones
- It's best to respond within a week of the review if possible
- Research shows that other customers pay attention to how you respond, so always respond in a non-confrontational way. Let them know you understand and can empathize. Whilst you might not be at fault, this kind of response signals to other customers that you respect your clientele and their feedback.
- Invite the person to contact you via email to resolve, thus keeping further interactions offline.
Bury bad reviews with good
- The next step is to bury this bad review in good ones. Make a point of asking for reviews from happy clients - offer them an easy link to your review tool or facebook review page
- If you have a mailing list or are in regular contact with past clients, invite them to give you a review, and express how much their feedback is valued.
- It's important not to buy fake reviews
How you deal with feedback very much impacts on whether new customers choose to overlook it when reading your reviews. A good response shows you respect your client's feedback, are willing to listen and empathise, and can build trust too. Good luck!
