It doesn’t matter how big or small your company is, reputation is one of the most important things in business. Usually, customers are the first line of front and they are making their decisions based on reviews. When looking for a product, their opinion is shaped by what others have to say about the company. Fortunately or not, the internet is providing a perfect environment to share opinions publicly. Which, in case of negative reviews, can lead to a complete mess. However, it’s not so grim and bad. There is a good and bad way to handle bad business reviews. Hopefully, you will figure out how to deal with them properly.
Ways to handle bad business reviews
First, you need to figure out if the reviews are valid. Bad reviews are a part of the business just like the good ones, so make peace with that. Surely you can’t expect that everything is perfect and that everyone is satisfied. In reality, some people are looking for excuses and just want to blame it on someone else. Internet warriors, online bullies, and so-called “trolls” are worst of all. They will randomly pick a target for their own amusement. Dealing with them requires a tremendous amount of energy. Fortunately, you can learn a couple of things to try to deal with them properly.
Internet warrior might seem like a noble title, but in reality, it is usually quite opposite.
Try to be neutral and objective
Sometimes, it’s hard to resist the urge to react and to correct the injustice, but it’s not the best option. At least not always, so take a step back. If the review is just an obvious complaint without any real arguments, then it’s best to ignore it. Contact the site owners and try to deal it with them. Honest people don’t like false accusations and reporting might help you remove the bad review.
Don’t lose your temper
No matter what, try to remain calm. If you start to panic, chances are you are going to do something wrong. Generally, this is not the situation to fight fire with fire. Keep it professional and try to avoid making further damage. Usually, if you see that a review is a nonsense, the others will figure it out the same way you do.
Check if the claims are correct
Be smart about this. If there is a chance that a bad review is actually correct, do some research within your company. Bad reviews are not necessarily bad because they can point out flaws in your business. Learn from mistakes and try to figure out the solution that will repair the damage.
Private replies
One way of handling these kinds of bad reviews is to reply privately. Usually, small issues can be resolved within a reasonable amount of time. In fact, it should be a mutual interest to resolve the problem, not just to make claims.
Public replies
Another way of dealing with this is to reply publicly. However, this can be tricky. Remember those “trolls”? If it happens you step on the foot of someone like that, you are risking further damage. Some people just can’t be reasoned with, so try to avoid them. On the other side, public reviews are a great opportunity to show your customers that you care.
Show that you care about your customers.
Be professional and apologize
Eventually, if the customer is right, keep the professional level and apologize for the inconvenience. Also, don’t forget to correct the mistake in the most polite possible way.
In the end, learning to handle bad business reviews is a constant battle between right and wrong. It’s the endless balancing between different situations. At times, it can be hard and stressful but it’s worth a lot for your business.