As a business we face the reality that not everyone will be happy with our services or products. So, what happens when an unsatisfied customer takes their complaint online or onto social media? How do you react? How do you handle the situation so it doesn’t snowball, hurt your business or cause other potential customers to be put off?
Bad Reviews Affect Small Businesses, too!
As a local small business you have to be twice as protective of your brand. As you know, especially here in the Rio Grande Valley, news travels fast and bad news travels twice as fast. So you need to be sure to handle a negative review online quickly and effectively. As we have seen in the past, one person’s complaint about an issue can quickly turn into an swarm of negative feedback from multiple people if not handle properly.
So, What to Do When You Get a Bad Customer Review?
In the past, a bad experience with your business would result in an angry call or a strongly worded letter, but in today’s digital age we are faced with the possibility of one customer’s bad experience getting out to a mass audience. A bad online review can create distrust and fear from potential customers, especially if you do not address it quickly. So, how should you deal with negative online reviews?
1. Monitor Your Social Media Channels
I know we say this A LOT, but it truly is one of the most important things you can do for your business. You need to monitor all social media channels for any mention of your brand or business, whether it’s good or bad.
2. Respond
Again, whether the comment was good or bad, you need to respond. Be proactive in reaching out to your engaged users, make them feel heard and understood. Be humble and ensure you are solving all their issues and concerns.
3. Keep Doing It
This is something you must continuously be doing. If someone is taking the time out of their day to talk with your business, that means they care. So, make sure you are responding and handling the issue EVERY SINGLE TIME! Did you know that 58% of customers want companies to respond to a complaint on social media and an even more staggering statistic, 42%expect companies to respond to positive comments.
I know this seems like a lot of work to do, but by doing this your business will create positive sentiment from your customers. These small gestures will be the building blocks of creating loyal customers who will recommend you at every opportunity they can.
Although negative online customer reviews can potentially rec havoc on your business, if you handle each complaint correctly you can leverage the situation to benefit your business and create long lasting relationships with your customers.