Thu 13 Jul 2017 09:07

Negative Business Reviews: How to React?

When customers begin to use your product or service, they want to share their experiences with other people. They start writing reviews, posting them on your official website or on social networks...

A priori, you believe in your product or service and consider it good. Most users agree with this opinion. And when you receive a first negative review, most likely, it will cause a storm of emotions, even if the review is very far from the truth. However, the negative opinion has already been written and published. Now it is very important to do the right thing in order not to spoil your authority. Where do negative reviews come from? How to react to them? Is it right to delete them? Let's find this out.

As shockingly as it sounds for you, negative review is normal and even useful (!) part of your work. Why? Let's try to look at it from a positive angle.

Why negative reviews are good?

Negative feedback creates a real picture of your business for a potential customer. He believes you more, his loyalty rises. Imagine that you are going to buy a product and find only odes and praises to it in the Internet. Even if all this is sincere, there is a doubt in you - what, absolutely nothing bad at all? No shortcomings? It's like a marriage with a perfect ideal partner: you understand that this is unreal, and waiting for a bad trick. Minor reviews make the offer much more attractive. This is how human psychology works.

How Customer Feedback Helps to Improve Your Business

Negative reviews make positive ones more realistic. They show your potential customer that you have nothing to hide - we do not hide the negative, we correct our mistakes and we talk to everyone. This puts people at your side and increases the possibility that they will turn to you. When there is no negative feedback, it's not hard to guess that the company is just hiding it. Nobody likes it. Studies show that more than 90% of people consider reviews artificial and falsified, if the company's page contains only positive opinions. Some experts even advise to write reviews with minor shortcomings to spoil the perfect picture a little bit. Just do not remove the negative, work with it!

Negative reviews lead to the information dance around your brand - and experts say it encourages sales! You thought differently, didn't you? When your brand is actively spoken in ANY key, there are always more people whose curiosity will make them try and make up their own opinion. And most likely, it will be positive. This is another reason not to be afraid of negative feedback.

Why You Should Be Your Best Client

How to respond to negative reviews?

The first thing that is important to remember that the author is the person who pays money for your product. You are interested to continue this relationship. If he stops and leaves, so that others - who are only going to pay you - see your respect to  any customers, even those who do not like you. Secondly, remember that we are all humans, we have our feelings and emotions, our expectations, and not always products or services are capable of satisfying them. Disappointment can happen for reasons beyond your control. A human is always a human. Third, remember that it is possible to turn your dissatisfied customer to your best client ever. What to do?

Remember: a bad review is not about your personality - do not take this opinion too close. Many business owners behave this way and start a verbal fight, don't ever do this! 

1. Try to answer always or in most cases. Answer publicly! Sometimes a complaint is a meaningless stream of hysterics, provoked by a bot or a competitor, and you see no reason in answering this. However, in the majority of cases an answer is a must have. Never use excuses like a lack of free time. Your competitors find time to communicate with annoyed customers - and you should do it as well.

2. If you can't give a clear answer now, show the user that he was heard - you read and reacted. Write: "Thank you for your feedback, we will investigate the situation and give you a detailed answer." Keep this promise! It is best to answer the user not from the abstract person, answer as a real person – a manager or a business owner.

3. Long excuses don't work. If the user is angry, disappointed, dissatisfied, he does not care that you didn't have enough time or properly details to do your work well for his money. You were obliged to provide a good service and quality - there's no point in pressing on pity, it's a bad style.

4. Do not delete negative reviews. Even if it is complete nonsense and you do not see any reason to answer it - leave it on the site, others also understand everything about this user. And the removal can cause an aggressive reaction.

5. Sometimes it makes sense to communicate with the user in person - ask for a phone number and check out the situation personally. But before that, write a public response that you'll contact him as soon as possible.

6. If the situation is the result of your mistake, briefly and sincerely apologize publicly and promise to correct the mistake, return the goods or exchange it, compensate the moral damage with the discount and so on.

7. Always check that the corrective action has been taken and the user is satisfied. Put a little bit of your soul into this work - and you'll see, very often the evil clients become your friends for many years.

Do You Really Know Your Clients?  

Always be polite and correct. Make conclusions from your mistakes if they are real, and continue working to improve the quality of your business. Remember that bad review does not mean that your business is bad, too. This is absolutely normal and can even help your work to become better.

© Assiomatica SA

Negative Business Reviews: How to React?

Negative Business Reviews: How to React?

Posted on 2017-Jul-13

A priori, you believe in your product or service and consider it good. Most users agree with this opinion. And when you receive a first negative review, most likely, it will cause a storm of emotions, even if the review is very far from the truth. However, the negative opinion has already been written and published. Now it is very important to do the right thing in order not to spoil your authority. Where do negative reviews come from? How to react to them? Is it right to delete them? Let's find this out.

As shockingly as it sounds for you, negative review is normal and even useful (!) part of your work. Why? Let's try to look at it from a positive angle.

Why negative reviews are good?

Negative feedback creates a real picture of your business for a potential customer. He believes you more, his loyalty rises. Imagine that you are going to buy a product and find only odes and praises to it in the Internet. Even if all this is sincere, there is a doubt in you - what, absolutely nothing bad at all? No shortcomings? It's like a marriage with a perfect ideal partner: you understand that this is unreal, and waiting for a bad trick. Minor reviews make the offer much more attractive. This is how human psychology works.

How Customer Feedback Helps to Improve Your Business

Negative reviews make positive ones more realistic. They show your potential customer that you have nothing to hide - we do not hide the negative, we correct our mistakes and we talk to everyone. This puts people at your side and increases the possibility that they will turn to you. When there is no negative feedback, it's not hard to guess that the company is just hiding it. Nobody likes it. Studies show that more than 90% of people consider reviews artificial and falsified, if the company's page contains only positive opinions. Some experts even advise to write reviews with minor shortcomings to spoil the perfect picture a little bit. Just do not remove the negative, work with it!

Negative reviews lead to the information dance around your brand - and experts say it encourages sales! You thought differently, didn't you? When your brand is actively spoken in ANY key, there are always more people whose curiosity will make them try and make up their own opinion. And most likely, it will be positive. This is another reason not to be afraid of negative feedback.

Why You Should Be Your Best Client

How to respond to negative reviews?

The first thing that is important to remember that the author is the person who pays money for your product. You are interested to continue this relationship. If he stops and leaves, so that others - who are only going to pay you - see your respect to  any customers, even those who do not like you. Secondly, remember that we are all humans, we have our feelings and emotions, our expectations, and not always products or services are capable of satisfying them. Disappointment can happen for reasons beyond your control. A human is always a human. Third, remember that it is possible to turn your dissatisfied customer to your best client ever. What to do?

Remember: a bad review is not about your personality - do not take this opinion too close. Many business owners behave this way and start a verbal fight, don't ever do this! 

1. Try to answer always or in most cases. Answer publicly! Sometimes a complaint is a meaningless stream of hysterics, provoked by a bot or a competitor, and you see no reason in answering this. However, in the majority of cases an answer is a must have. Never use excuses like a lack of free time. Your competitors find time to communicate with annoyed customers - and you should do it as well.

2. If you can't give a clear answer now, show the user that he was heard - you read and reacted. Write: "Thank you for your feedback, we will investigate the situation and give you a detailed answer." Keep this promise! It is best to answer the user not from the abstract person, answer as a real person – a manager or a business owner.

3. Long excuses don't work. If the user is angry, disappointed, dissatisfied, he does not care that you didn't have enough time or properly details to do your work well for his money. You were obliged to provide a good service and quality - there's no point in pressing on pity, it's a bad style.

4. Do not delete negative reviews. Even if it is complete nonsense and you do not see any reason to answer it - leave it on the site, others also understand everything about this user. And the removal can cause an aggressive reaction.

5. Sometimes it makes sense to communicate with the user in person - ask for a phone number and check out the situation personally. But before that, write a public response that you'll contact him as soon as possible.

6. If the situation is the result of your mistake, briefly and sincerely apologize publicly and promise to correct the mistake, return the goods or exchange it, compensate the moral damage with the discount and so on.

7. Always check that the corrective action has been taken and the user is satisfied. Put a little bit of your soul into this work - and you'll see, very often the evil clients become your friends for many years.

Do You Really Know Your Clients?  

Always be polite and correct. Make conclusions from your mistakes if they are real, and continue working to improve the quality of your business. Remember that bad review does not mean that your business is bad, too. This is absolutely normal and can even help your work to become better.

© Assiomatica SA