how do i manage bad reviews online

16 Tips to Handle Negative Customer Reviews Online

• 1. Answer Quickly If someone is upset enough to leave a negative review, they usually do it pretty soon after the negative experience takes place. ...
• 2. Answer Thoughtfully ...
• 3. Answer Honestly ...
• 4. Be Kind & Keep It Appropriate ...
• 5. Give Each Response a Custom Response ...
• 6. Never Get Personal ...
• 7. Take It Offline ...
• 8. Be Thankful & Appreciative ...

Full Answer

What should you do about bad reviews?

There are five important things to understand that can help to reframe our thinking about bad reviews: 1) Your Business Might Just Not Be a Good Fit for the Customer (And That’s a Good Thing). Your business isn’t right for everyone. And that’s a great thing, because you can’t be great for everyone.

Should you remove negative reviews on your website?

When a lot of businesses get negative reviews, their first course of action is to try and get the review removed. This is a terrible approach. A bad review isn’t the problem. A bad review is the result of a problem. The real problem is whatever happened between your customer and your businesses that created that result.

How do I get rid of bad reviews on Google?

Google also has a tough review filter, although much more lenient than Yelp’s. The best way to get rid of bad reviews is to bury them with good ones. Use Your Network. If you’re just starting out you’ve undoubtedly done business with friends or family.

How to respond to customers who leave bad online reviews?

So the key to applying the H.E.A.R.D. Technique to customers who leave bad online reviews is that you need to create that conversation. Yes, You Should Respond Publicly.

First Things First: Bad Reviews Don’T Mean That You’Re Bad

The first rule of dealing with negative reviews is to not take them personally.That’s because as your business grows, you’re going to see more and...

How to Deal With A Bad Review

When a lot of businesses get negative reviews, their first course of action is to try and get the review removed.This is a terrible approach.A bad...

Yes, You Should Respond publicly. but Not to Defend yourself.

If you’re considering doing business with a company, and you see a negative review, which approach from the business would make you more confident...

Instead of Trying to Get Bad Reviews removed, Drown Them Out

What we’ve found at Groove is that the more we apply this approach – solving the underlying problem rather than focusing on getting the review remo...

How to treat an upset customer?

Treat the upset customer just as you would an upset customer who hadn’t spoken up online: with empathy, compassion and a genuine commitment to making things right.

What does "H ear" mean?

H ear: let the customer tell their entire story without interruption. Sometimes, we just want someone to listen.

What is good customer service?

Good customer service isn’t about completely eliminating mistakes — an impossible task — but about leveraging the opportunity created by a mistake to build a deeper relationship with your customer.

Why is my review bad?

Often, a bad review simply comes from a customer discovering that your product is not the right fit for them.

What is the most common way stress manifests itself?

And on those days, we’re far more likely to lash out at others; Roger Gil, MAMFT, a behavioral scientist, suggests that one of the most common ways that stress manifests itself is displaced anger.

What to do when you feel attacked?

In any situation where you’re feeling attacked or offended, it’s helpful to take a step back and put yourself into your customer’s shoes; much of the time, their behavior has nothing to do with you.

What is the first rule of dealing with negative reviews?

The first rule of dealing with negative reviews is to not take them personally.

How to get rid of bad reviews?

Assuming that person won’t delete it, the only way to get rid of bad reviews is to bury them.

What to do if no reviews show up?

If no reviews show up, you can try performing a Google search (“your business name” + review) instead.

Why are reviews important?

These reviews are crucial because they show up for branded searches and critical keyword searches ( assuming your website is ranking, of course).

How long does it take for a review to be removed from Yelp?

If the review contains any overly negative, derogatory or lewd content, you can flag it for removal. If it’s found to violate Yelp’s ToS, it will be removed within a few days.

How much traffic does a brand search drive?

Branded searches (aka searches with business name) can drive up to 50% of your organic traffic. They’re the result of brand recognition, offline advertising, direct searches, networking and potential customers doing research. Branded searches = direct traffic. Direct traffic caps off the customer journey.

How to get your website to rank higher on Google?

Link to your social profiles. Share your target properties across social media accounts. Tweet your Facebook URL. Tumble your YouTube channel. Share your Google+ page. Over time, this creates a natural association between accounts. Google will recognize these properties as directly related to your website. This will push them up in rankings for branded searches.

Is cleaning up your branded search results important?

Cleaning up your branded search results is 80% of the battle. However, customers will also check review sites directly. It’s important to get a handle on those properties as well.

What is the moral of the story?

The moral of the story is never involve clients in any type of dispute that you’re having. Your clients should never have to deal with things like this. To ask them to get involved lessens your level of professionalism and lessens their faith in you and your company.

What to do if you get a bad review?

If you get a bad review, be honest with yourself and really assess whether you or your team have done something wrong. If we’re totally honest, we know that we all make mistakes. It’s not the mistake that kills you, it’s the way you handle the mistake that could crush your business.

How long does it take to respond to a bad review?

Depending on how you react to things like this, it may take a few hours or a few days before you should respond. A cool head will be a huge asset when dealing with a bad review.

How to combat bad reviews?

Some business owners think that the best way to combat a bad review is to get your customers to post a ton of good reviews to show you’re a good guy. This can really go badly for you.

What to do if someone complains about tile?

As an example, if you’re a remodeling contractor and someone is complaining about the tile job you did in the bathroom – go back and fix it , or at least check it out before responding online.

How to respond to a review?

Be short, honest, polite, courteous, factual and back up your side of the story with whatever proof you have and you will do fine.

Do you have to have a PDF to prove a job?

Not every company will have PDF documents that prove that you did a good job. But, it’s easy for a contractor to have before and after pictures of the project. It’s easy for a retailer to post a picture of their return policy and where it’s posted in the store. No matter what your business is, you likely have proof that you did a good job, or delivered a good product to your customers.

What to do when a customer is upset with an interaction?

If a customer is upset with an interaction they had with an individual, or a quick resolution from both parties isn’t available, ask them to private message, email or call you to help resolve the issue. Don’t forget to leave your business’s contact information.

Why is it important to show gratitude for positive reviews?

While we often focus on the negative, maintaining a lasting impression requires you to show gratitude to positive online reviews. This helps customers know their opinions matter and , for potential customers, that their experience is of the utmost importance.