When it comes to receiving reviews on the internet, it can be incredibly overwhelming to think about the proper way to handle each review, bad or good. Reviews can be posted through multiple platforms, including Yelp, Google, Facebook and more, which are all popular websites to visit and have a ton of visibility. So, how exactly are good and bad reviews supposed to be handled?
Respond to Customer Reviews
Good or bad, it will make the customer feel valued by responding to their review. Responding can result in better ratings and shows that your business cares about your customers’ experience.
It also improves your business’s online reputation and lets customers know that when they have something to say and want to be heard, they’ll always receive a response.
Gather the Facts
Before you respond to any review, it’s important to make sure you fact-check the customer’s review, and it’s especially important to make sure you fact-check your response. Writing a response with potentially untrue statements can land you in hot water.
Acknowledge the Problem and Empathize
Acknowledging the customer’s problem and empathizing with them helps the customer to understand that their experience is unacceptable and your business is sympathetic to the issue.
A generic response could make your business look as if you don’t care too much about the customer’s experience and drive them away further; other customers will also be exposed to this review and potentially drive them away as well.
Stay Professional
Even though it is important to have a somewhat personalized reply to negative reviews to connect better with the customer, it’s crucial to stay professional when constructing a response. The replies should be helpful and considerate. Because winning an argument with an unsatisfied customer can be very difficult, you don’t want another negative review due to how the situation was handled.
When handling good reviews, thank them for their kind words. It’s also important to have a professional reply to restrain from creating bias amongst customers.
Be Timely
When a customer is upset enough over their experience to leave a negative review, it is typically soon after a bad encounter with your company.
To reduce the damage that has already been done, it’s important to respond as soon as possible to make sure the customer knows you care about their negative experience. The longer you take to write back, the more the customer will think that their issue is unimportant to your company, and that is the opposite of what a customer should think.
If Needed, Take it Offline
With positive reviews, this typically doesn’t have to be done. However, with negative reviews, it might be necessary to leave an email or phone number or ask for their email or phone number to allow the customer to contact you directly rather than deal with the situation publicly.
This shows that you’re ready to thoroughly handle the issue and not apologizing just for show.
Responding to reviews in a more professional manner is not only a great way to build goodwill amongst more vocal customers, but it is also a chance to learn from them as well.
Encourage Additional Reviews
One of the best ways to improve customer service is to receive feedback from others, good or bad. It helps your company understand what the customers want and how exactly you can attend to their needs.
The more reviews you get, the better chance you’ll have to perfect your customer service and improve the reviews you receive.
Continuously Monitor Your Online Reputation
The most important aspect of customer reviews is to monitor your online presence to stay on top of every review and reply consistently.
By doing this, you’ll be able to keep with what was said, when it was said, and how you responded to it to ensure you don’t repeat yourself and are able to make the customer feel appreciated.
