How to Handle a Negative Review and Turn It into an Opportunity
When it comes to business, like it or not, there will always be negativity. Be it through a service fault, missed delivery, or just random hate, there always seems to be at least one comment that aims dissatisfaction towards a company.
While on the surface this isn’t ideal, there are actually many opportunities to be taken from a negative review. Inspiration, revelations, and just general awareness can all be taken from a negative review, which in turn could change a business for the better on a minor or major scale.
Even without necessarily turning them into opportunities, though, it’s important to know how to handle a negative review.
Best Practices for Responding to Negative Feedback
When a negative review appears, it’s natural to feel defensive or upset. However, the way a business responds can significantly impact its reputation and even turn a dissatisfied commenter into a loyal customer.
Immediate Acknowledgement
It’s important to acknowledge and respond to the review as soon as possible. No matter their feelings, the reviewer is at least likely to appreciate a timely response to their issue. It shows that the business truly cares and is dedicated towards customer satisfaction.
Personalised Responses
It is crucial to ensure that a business responds with a carefully crafted message that is clearly aimed at the person who wrote the review. A generic review is obvious when you see it and can often come off as lazy and condescending.
Be sure to personalise the response to include the name of the reviewer and address the specific issue that was identified. This demonstrates to the reviewer that you took the time to acknowledge their criticism and value them coming forward.
A poorly written example of a response might be:
“Thank you for your feedback. We will be sure to investigate this ASAP.”
Whereas a strong personalised example could be:
“Hi John, Thank you so much for making us aware of the issue with the faulty screw. We’re very sorry for this inconvenience and will be in contact with you very soon to rectify this.”
Even small changes can be the difference between an upset customer and an empathetic customer.
Solution Offering
Wherever possible, businesses should offer a solution to settle the issue and hopefully rebuild trust. If the issue cannot be fixed, they should let the customer know how they intend to resolve it. Consider offering something as a gesture of goodwill to make up for their experience, such as a discount or free service.
This approach not only possibly retains a customer but also shows others that you’re committed to righting wrongs.
An example response could be:
“Hi John, Thank you so much for making us aware of the issue with the faulty screw. We’re very sorry for this inconvenience. We’d like to offer you a 50% discount off a future purchase of your choice and hope that you’ll give us another chance to demonstrate our commitment to your satisfaction.”
Private Follow-Up
Suggest moving the conversation offline if a more in-depth conversation or a personal approach is called for. Turning the discussion from a public chat form to a private one might result in more thorough and focused answers. This also shows your dedication to them by giving time for a one-on-one instead of just giving face for the public eye.
Turning Negative Feedback into a Business Opportunity
As mentioned earlier, negative reviews are not just roadblocks; they can be powerful incentives for business improvement and innovation.
Product/Service Improvement
Businesses should look closely at the feedback, especially if there is a recurring issue across different reviews. This is a clear indication that something in a product or service may need adjustment. Businesses should use these insights to fine-tune their offerings.
Platforms like social media are perfect for announcing feedback-based changes and fostering trust among users.
An example statement could be: Based on recent feedback, we have refitted our [product] screws to ensure higher durability and better performance. Thank you to all our customers for your valuable insights and feedback.
Employee Training and Development
Negative reviews sometimes point out areas where staff development might need improvement.
Feedback sessions with employees allow for useful discussions that can learn from recent customer reviews. This in turn builds up staff ability within a business and betters them going forward.
Trust Building Through Transparency
Actively addressing issues and openly making improvements can significantly increase customer trust. Transparency and honesty are highly valued by customers and are seen as indicators of a business's dedication to integrity and reliability.
Share updates on your website and social media about the changes you have made based on customer feedback. Consider creating detailed case studies or blog posts that outline your journey towards improvement and actively involve your customers in your progress through surveys or feedback forms concerning the new changes.
In summary, negative reviews, while initially disheartening, offer invaluable opportunities for business growth and improved customer relationships. By addressing feedback with prompt, personalised responses and offering viable solutions, businesses can turn dissatisfied customers into loyal ones.
