10 Tips for Responding to a Negative Online Review

Unfortunately for business owners, human behavior has shown that people are far more likely to post an online review when they have had a negative experience, as opposed to doing so when they have had an extremely positive one. Even if your customer service is exemplary, you are always at risk of receiving a negative review. If you do get one, it’s not the end of the world, especially if you respond to it correctly.

Depending on the review website, you will have the option to respond both publicly (for all future visitors to see) and privately (directly to the client who posted the review). When given the opportunity, I would recommend that you respond privately in almost all scenarios. When responding publicly you’ll need to be a little more selective. Some negative reviews do not warrant a response, or are very difficult to respond to in general. If you decide a response is warranted, here are a few keys to consider when writing your response:

1. Know your audience: Your audience is future viewers and potential clients, not the unhappy patron that wrote the review!

2. Respond quickly: This will show that you are on top of things, and that your business’ reputation matters to you.

3. Never go on the offensive: Take a step back, approach the review objectively and write a sincere reply with a cool head. If it turns into an online argument your reputation could be damaged even further.

4. Thank them for their feedback: Take it as constructive criticism, and let everyone know that you are always striving to improve your customer service.

5. Be apologetic: Remember the customer is always right, especially in the eyes of customers that read the review in the future.

6. Accept responsibility: Most consumers want to know that you are willing to take ownership and react to their complaints. Future viewers will almost certainly appreciate that you have acknowledged the problem.

7. Learn from the review: Let them know how you will improve based on their comments. Also, make sure you can uphold any promises you make.

8. Let future customers know how to avoid similar problems in the future: Give future clients a way to avoid that situation, and a way to contact you personally (if possible).

9. Keep it short and sweet: Don’t write a book here folks, future customers will be overwhelmed and less likely to read it.

10. Don’t ignore the negative review, it wont go away on its own: Addressing the situation may not be the easiest course of action, but it will pay dividends in the long run.

 If you are a Next Ad Agency client, remember you are not alone in this. You have an account management team that is trained in responding to negative reviews. We have a lot of experience in lessening the impact of negative reviews, and helping you craft a response that will accomplish all of the points outlined above. We also will check the review for “terms of use violations” to see if we can suggest its removal all together. Most importantly, we facilitate and promote the positive reviews that tell the real side of the story, and show how most people perceive your business!

Tom Doran

Account Manager

Next Ad Agency

The Positive Impact of Negative Online Reviews

We’ve all heard the saying “any publicity is good publicity,” and this old saying also holds true in regards to today’s world of online advertising and reviews.

With the abundance of review sites available today for consumers to rate and review businesses, it is easier than ever to share personal experiences across the web. When these reviews are painting a business in a positive light, it’s obviously something that a business owner wants others to see. Positive reviews can generate new clients – this is common sense. But what about negative reviews? There is very little keeping a review writer from sharing their own negative opinions and experiences.

While no one wants to see negative reviews about their business being shared with the public, it can actually open up a whole new opportunity for clients with positive experiences to share their opinions of the business. While it can be seen as riskier to leave that negative review out for all to see, businesses are starting to leave them visible instead of deleting or hiding them (which in many cases, isn’t even possible). For a reputable business, a negative review usually appears pretty rarely, and in many cases, the presence of a negative review about a business that is known and loved within the community will actually encourage other customers to come to the business’s defense. So, a negative review can actually result in more positive comments – usually from loyal customers whose positive reviews drown out the occasional negative one.

No, this doesn’t mean that we can expect that businesses are going to look forward to or be excited about a negative review from a customer – but it does mean that there is a bright side!

In addition to drawing attention to the business’s listing, a negative comment online can also give the business themselves the opportunity to make amends with an unhappy customer. If you should happen to receive a negative review, we generally recommend trying to figure out which customer left it, and then respectfully approaching them (if possible) to try to resolve the original issue. By smoothing things over and responding to the comment professionally, either publicly online or privately with the customer, you may be able to earn back their business and give them an opportunity to adjust their opinion of your company. Additionally, you’ll be able to show other potential and current customers that you do indeed care about their experience with you and your business.

With the way today’s consumers rely on the internet to share information, it’s a safe bet that online reviews and review sites are just going to become more popular. As with anything, we’ve got to take the good with the bad – Negative reviews may be inevitable but that doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world for businesses; it just presents new opportunities for success!

-Sarah Buell, Account Manager