Negative Reviews

May 31, 2017 | News & Tips

by Shauna Millar

How important is customer service in today’s world? With the advent of internet and all that has followed; the ability for people to post negative reviews have increased. Unfortunately, much like feathers in the wind, these reviews can never fully be removed or ‘resolved’.

There is a saying that for every one customer who complains, there are ten more out there who don’t. Things have become easier for those complaints to appear; unfortunately, not all complaints are “valid” ones. There have been incidents when competitors have gone and ‘planted’ negative reviews about their competition.

Is it possible to head this horse off at the pass? I would love to say “yes”: the truth is that sometimes you just have to let the horse run its race. Take Yelp, for instance – a place where a lot of individuals post reviews. Putting a review on Yelp is easy enough. Getting it removed; not so much. There is a lot of red bureaucratic tape involved. (Much like in government – the burden of proof is on the accused.)

What can you do? First, if you find a negative review, check out the source. Make sure it is an honest review, and then respond accordingly; in a non-aggressive, well-stated way. It is more damaging to become argumentative when responding to negative reviews than to respond in a calm, positive manner.

Remember, everyone – not just the person who posted the review – will be reading what you write. How you respond is very important. It sets the tone for how you will be viewed. People know when someone is being disagreeable just to be disagreeable and will see your side more clearly if you respond in a polite, informative manner.

Second: Be honest. Is there some truth to the review? Can you fix the issue? If the person complaining has a point, remind yourself that there are probably others out there with the same complaint. Constructive criticism can be used as a tool to help us make our businesses better.

Third: Try and take it out of the public eye. Just because someone posts in a public way doesn’t mean you have to respond in kind. Try to find resolution without making it a point of contention with Joe/Jane Public as the judge and jury. Remember that if you do manage to take it out of the public view – some individuals aren’t interested in resolution and need the limelight. They will attempt to use your responses against you back IN public view if you are responding in a negative manner. [Make sure to keep track of all correspondence, just in case.]

A recent poll stated that 95% of consumers feel that customer service is, and/or still should be, a priority. Your responses show how dedicated you are to not only your business but your customers as well.