Do And Do Nots
Your business is your baby, you sacrifice, sweat, bleed and definitely do everything you can to please customers right? So what should you do if and when somebody writes a negative review about your business online? We will outline some of the basic recommendations here, however some sites have limitations and the social review sites are all different.
DO
- Wait to respond - Take time to absorb the issue of complaint
- Get the other side of story - If it involves another person, you should hear their side
- Send an invitation - Offer a direct line of communication with the complainant
- Apologize - Be sure and offer an apology for any shortcomings or errors
- Reassure - Discuss how you want to please them and regain their business
- Reinforce - Everyone involved including yourself will be able to witness the power of reviews
- Seize the opportunity - How golden is it for someone to actually take the time to let you know that they are not satisfied? Your best customers can be made here
- Put it online yourself - If the site allows, write a response online that stresses your hope to earn their trust and business again for all to see. No business is perfect, and a reasonable consumer will like the way you handle a tough situation online
DO NOT
- Deny - Accept the review always
- Attack - Blaming them for the issue, claiming the review to written by a competitor or any other petty behavior really looks horrible online
- Call - Never contact a reviewer directly on the phone without their approval ahead of time
- Act on emotion - If you want people to take the customers review with a grain of salt, then do not lose control of your emotions
- Feed the Fire - One reply or response as a business is plenty, be thorough but do not play into something that may be out of your control. If they are a valuable customer they will work with you on making the issue correctable
- Ruin your day - Stay focused on the overall marketing plan that you have. No one review should dictate your mission
Once you write something online in a review site or a business listing it is out there for all to see. Let reasonable people make reasonable decisions. Reply to reviews both positive and negative ones, ensure all viewers that you work everyday to do the best you can and that you are human striving to get better. Thank all reviewers for taking the time to express and share their experiences with your business.
