How to Respond to Negative Reviews
How to Respond to Negative Reviews
Randy Milanovic with sage advice on handling negative reviews. When to respond and when to not respond.
Originally shared by Randy Milanovic
While it may be tempting to set the record straight, it's seldom ever productive, may be seen as a challenge, and could easily look unprofessional (at best), or even spawn brand new negative reviews on other services such as Yelp or the BBB (yikes!)
That Doesn't Mean You Can't or Shouldn't Defend Yourself Against Improper Reviews
The first thing you should do is figure out if the reviewer is an actual unhappy client. Complainers, fake reviews and even less ethical competitors are commonplace.
Once you know the person is real and that the complaint is real, you should contact them to ask how you can make it right. Sometimes people are just looking to be heard. To give you an insight into one customer's perspective, I'll share this...
At dinner one evening, I returned a dry-ish burger at a well known local watering hole. The waitress was so horrified that I might leave a bad review that she offered to not charge me for it.
I wasn't upset. I said to please charge me but could I have a replacement? She brought a new burger. It was worse. As I'd eaten part of both burgers (and the fries) I was full, so just set it aside, enjoying my beer.
Shortly after, the manager appeared, asking me what was wrong with both burgers, and sharing (defending?) that they were known for their amazing burgers. A few minutes later the waitress reappeared, along with a $5 gift card. I told her I didn't want it, that I wasn't looking for a discount. I just wanted her to know the chef was off that night.
I didn't feel like a customer at that point, but rather, a potential bad reviewer. Their attempt to avoid the review actually made me consider leaving one.
Fair and Reasonable Remedy
At other times, reviewers may simply be looking for some form of gesture of good will or compensation. Whatever it is, you’ll have to decide what you are willing to do – or not do – to save the relationship. Remember that if you’re able to resolve the situation, it makes perfect sense for you to ask for them to update or revise the review.
And in many cases they will.
https://www.kayakonlinemarketing.com/blog/best-practices-for-replying-to-negative-google-reviews
Randy Milanovic with sage advice on handling negative reviews. When to respond and when to not respond.
Originally shared by Randy Milanovic
While it may be tempting to set the record straight, it's seldom ever productive, may be seen as a challenge, and could easily look unprofessional (at best), or even spawn brand new negative reviews on other services such as Yelp or the BBB (yikes!)
That Doesn't Mean You Can't or Shouldn't Defend Yourself Against Improper Reviews
The first thing you should do is figure out if the reviewer is an actual unhappy client. Complainers, fake reviews and even less ethical competitors are commonplace.
Once you know the person is real and that the complaint is real, you should contact them to ask how you can make it right. Sometimes people are just looking to be heard. To give you an insight into one customer's perspective, I'll share this...
At dinner one evening, I returned a dry-ish burger at a well known local watering hole. The waitress was so horrified that I might leave a bad review that she offered to not charge me for it.
I wasn't upset. I said to please charge me but could I have a replacement? She brought a new burger. It was worse. As I'd eaten part of both burgers (and the fries) I was full, so just set it aside, enjoying my beer.
Shortly after, the manager appeared, asking me what was wrong with both burgers, and sharing (defending?) that they were known for their amazing burgers. A few minutes later the waitress reappeared, along with a $5 gift card. I told her I didn't want it, that I wasn't looking for a discount. I just wanted her to know the chef was off that night.
I didn't feel like a customer at that point, but rather, a potential bad reviewer. Their attempt to avoid the review actually made me consider leaving one.
Fair and Reasonable Remedy
At other times, reviewers may simply be looking for some form of gesture of good will or compensation. Whatever it is, you’ll have to decide what you are willing to do – or not do – to save the relationship. Remember that if you’re able to resolve the situation, it makes perfect sense for you to ask for them to update or revise the review.
And in many cases they will.
https://www.kayakonlinemarketing.com/blog/best-practices-for-replying-to-negative-google-reviews
Thank you Zara!
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