They love to leave them – and even more, to read them when looking to make a purchase.
Some of these are constructive, cheerful and positive, and an effective organisation views these as a fantastic form of free publicity.
However, not everyone is nice online and negative reviews are something every business will face at some point.
So as a business, how do you manage these well?
Positive reviews are fantastic! It means that someone has taken the time to provide feedback
But not all are positive.
It’s quite a harsh world, especially in the digital space where, most of the time, the people leaving comments don’t even have to identify themselves, thus removing the risk and fear of repercussion when posting. And with social media now a staple in society, more emotionally charged customers are taking to these platforms to let companies know exactly what they think, whether it’s justified or not.
Of course – a negative review is a good opportunity for a business to take the feedback on board and learn from the experience. This is invaluable. However, the business is still left to manage how to respond.
After all, people trust another person’s review on a product or website far more than they do any other form of marketing. This is the power of word-of-mouth.
People trust another person’s review far more than they do any other form of marketing.
1. If you can take a negative comment down, do it.
This way, you avoid a horrible comment right in the middle of a page where your business is expecting a high amount of traffic, and you can assess the legitimacy of the comment. After all, you don’t want potential customers dwelling on it, especially if it’s not fair or it’s a half-truth.
2. Respond to every complaint and negative feedback
Most of these sites allow for a right of reply, so spend time crafting a personal, positive response to address the issue and tackle it head-on.
Something like: “We’re very sorry to hear that you’ve had this experience and we would like the opportunity to speak to you about how we can discuss your concerns.”
It’s very important that, regardless of how nasty the post is, you do not meet fire with fire! Remain professional and show other customers that you are addressing whatever the concern of the poster is. Usually, you’ll find that the writer was just venting and has calmed down by the time you reply (and may even apologise or remove the comment themselves), or are happy just to be noticed and respected.
It may even be appropriate to thank them for the feedback, should it make you aware of a weakness in your organisation.
3. Keep your eye on other external websites
Even though a business generally has limited control over these review site, it’s still best to keep an eye out for negative comments on them so you are addressing concerns from customers, beyond your own websites.
Then, if there is a right of reply (which there usually is), craft a response and deal with the issue.
4. Don’t take comments personally
Often, you will not know the real reason behind their comment and so, again, address the post positively and open up a dialogue so that you can be seen to be correcting the problem and at the same time, taking it on board.
Offer your customer a public apology for their negative experience, or you may even believe that compensation may be justified in certain cases.
It’s best to use your own careful judgement. Don’t admit fault unless you really are at fault – but always suggest a course of action you can both take to find a solution.
5. Not all negativity is bad
Sometimes, the negative feedback isn’t just people being petty- there may be a legitimate concern that you should be addressing in the way you do business. Keep tabs on the legitimate cases and perhaps seek to improve or act upon the feedback to stem the tide and bring things back to a positive for your customers.
Don’t admit fault unless you really are at fault.
But always suggest a course of action you can both take to find a solution.
However, instead of viewing them all as an intimidating and daunting inevitability, instead, try seeing it as an opportunity for improvement. Acting in a calm and professional way will see your organisation shine, no matter the type of review you’re receiving – and let’s hope that the positive ones continue to outweigh the negatives!
How Can Melotti Media Copywriting Help You?
You’re time poor and spread thin, and writing isn’t your expertise. So, focus on what really matters, while we take care of all of your copywriting and content marketing needs!
For more information or to speak to a quality copywriter to get the results your business deserves, contact me now at info@melottimedia.com.au.
I can sharpen your words to achieve your goals, today!
Christopher Melotti
Melotti Media Copywriting and Message Marketing Bureau
www.melottimedia.com.au
