Negative Reviews Can Damage a Business’s Reputation: The Right Way to Respond
The ability to review businesses online has placed a lot of power in the hands of the consumer. Just a few negative reviews can go a long way toward damaging your reputation, which is why it’s important to work with experienced content marketers who know how to respond to negative reviews without causing additional problems for your business. Minimizing damage from negative comments is essential to ensure your business can bounce back and continue to grow, whether this bad publicity is warranted or not.
Why It’s Easier to Write a Bad Review Versus a Good One
You will notice consumers are much more likely to leave negative web content reviews than good ones. While it seems people would want to share their good experiences, the truth is most people are more vocal when they are angry about the outcome. This leads them to write a scathing review in an attempt to get attention and to prevent other people from going through the issue. Some people even leave these negative reviews because they want to elicit action from the business.
Regardless of the reason, it’s important to realize it’s much easier for people to post something negative. In fact, people who have a good experience often don’t even think about leaving a review, which is why experienced content marketers will encourage you to ask your customers for good reviews.
Don’t Delete
It may be tempting to hit that delete button when you see someone has left a negative review on your business. Eliminating it altogether will prevent people from seeing it. However, this action often has the opposite effect. When consumers see you have absolutely no negative feedback in your reviews, they may become skeptical and feel you may be hiding something. While some businesses have largely positive reviews, having a few negative responses aren’t going to have a dramatic overall impact on your business.
Take Your Time
You may feel a negative review requires an immediate response to protect your business. It is important to get back to this type of feedback in a timely manner, but nothing good will come out of an emotional response. Instead, it’s important to take your time and really think about what response is the most appropriate in the given situation. This will ensure you take the steps necessary to resolve the issue amicably.
Look Into the Issue
While some negative web content reviews are false, a majority of them have some basis in the truth. Before you attack someone for leaving a false review, you should look into the issue to determine what happened so you can take the right steps to remedy the situation. Once you are aware of what the problem is and what the cause was, you can formulate a response that will satisfy the consumer and repair any damage that has been done.
Accept Responsibility
One of the most important things you can do is take responsibility for the negative experience. An apology can often go a long way toward repairing the damage. Avoid making excuses that will come off as trying to shirk your responsibility in the matter. Consumers appreciate when businesses admit they were wrong and work hard to come to a satisfactory resolution.
Offer a Private Conversation
Some matters are best dealt with privately. While it’s important to take the first steps publicly to show others you are serious about keeping your customers happy, any further steps can be taken privately. Simply ask the individual whether they would like to continue the discussion privately and offer an email address or phone number so you can continue to reach a solution that will make everyone happy.
Experienced content marketers know how to respond to negative reviews without causing damage to your business. It all starts with understanding why it’s easier to write a bad review versus a good one and ends with being able to craft responses that will show consumers you are willing to do what it takes to keep your customers happy. A well-written response will help with minimizing damage from negative comments and give your business a chance to make a good impression.
If you’re looking for experienced content marketers who can help you turn negative reviews into a positive experience, contact us. We can help you manage your reviews and respond appropriately to any negative feedback.
