Resources
Awesome, you got a good customer review last night! But then you logged on today and saw a bad review was posted early in the morning. It’s cumbersome, but you should respond to all customer reviews whether they are positive or negative. Below, we’ll dive into how and why.
Responding to negative reviews should be done in a specific manner. Experts have outlined these steps on how to respond to a bad customer review:
1. Analyze the content of the negative review.
Careful analysis of the negative review will help you decide how to respond, such as empathizing with the reviewer, thanking them for the feedback, or offering a solution. No matter how angry the client is in the review, do not fire back, or you will upset them more.
2. Set the response to public viewing mode on Google Reviews.
Publicly responding to negative reviews shows that you are credible and accountable as a company and as its leader. Potential clients will see this as a win-win if you are able to solve an issue expeditiously and courteously.
3. Be understanding in your response.
Apologize on behalf of the company for the inconvenience caused. Show that you understand the person’s anger or frustration.
4. If the review is missing details, query the client.
Sometimes angry reviewers leave out important details because they write more based on emotion than objective thought. If you do not fully understand the issue, as the reviewer for more details so that you get a clearer picture of what happened and can move forward from there.
5. Sign your name and title at the end of the review.
Signing your name at the end shows professionalism and provides a personable aspect to the response. The disgruntled reviewer will know that a real person answered the review and that it wasn’t a bot-generated response.
Responding to a good review is generally much easier than responding to a negative review. Here’s what to do:
1. Peruse the review’s content.
Just like when looking at a bad review, analyze what is being said in this good review. Why is the customer happy about their purchase or service? What made the customer service experience so memorable?
2. Formulate a response.
Type in a response that is thoughtful and engaging to the client. Acknowledge their satisfaction and invite them to use your business again.
3. Sign and submit.
Again, remember to sign your name and title for professionalism and personable effect.
For starters, answering all customer reviews shows credibility and expertise. It also shows that you back your company mission and values by providing well-rounded customer service. It’s professional to answer all reviews and not leave a customer hanging.
Review responses show customers that you care about them and their needs for your products and services. The more a company shows that they care about the clients that support them, the more clients will remain loyal to that company.
Finally, actively engaging with reviews helps you build your customer base. As current and potential clients see that you work out the bad reviews and cherish the good ones, they will appreciate your company’s ability to maintain customer relationships. Answering every review is a key task in customer relationship management.
Your audience is always watching you and your employees and how clients are treated by your business. They are also watching review feeds to make their final decision on whether to support your business or not. Remember to always be friendly and courteous when responding to both positive and negative reviews and your client base will surely increase!
