The psychological impact of negative reviews
Nobody likes a negative review but it can be surprisingly helpful for your business. Here’s a few helpful tips on how to nail your review game.
Don’t immediately respond: Nothing good comes from hurrying a response. Take some deep breaths and let the emotions subside before going anywhere near the keyboard. Emotional responses often appear as unprofessional responses. Time is always on your side, even if you are worried that people will see the bad review before you get to it yourself.
Understand what actually happened: If you have employees, ask them what they know. If you don’t have employees recount your own steps before you respond. Form an overall view about how its all gone down, and only then should you develop a plan on how to deal with it.
Don’t take it personally: Like, ever. Some people are going to say really crappy things about you - you have no control over that and let’s be honest, nobody knows what that person is actually going through when they leave that review. You may also have been given a heads up that they planned on giving the review if you didn't do a certain thing (ie. give them money back). Don’t take it personally, no matter how much it feels like the review is a personal attack.
Don’t bow down to manipulation: If correspondence has already occurred between you and the client, with threats that they will give the review if you don’t take certain action (ie. give them a refund), then walk away from the review entirely. Its manipulative behaviour and you’re better than that. If you choose to respond, be respectful and succinct. Sometimes though, its best not to say anything if they are merely antagonistic (I always recommend simply saying “I'm sorry you feel this way, please do not hesitate to contact us privately so we can work through this together”. And then, as the great Elsa from Frozen once said….”let it go, let it go.”
Show you care. If its a situation where a client feels genuinely aggrieved (and isn’t leaving the review as a litigation tactic) you do want to engage with them. If its been a genuine case of unsatisfactory customer service on your part, then swallow your pride and apologise. People like to know you can empathise with them. You may be able to retain them as a future client or a client who refers you to other prospective clients.
Discuss it behind closed doors. The whole world really doesn’t need to grab a box of popcorn to watch you and your reviewer go at it like a Wimbledon grand slam. If you feel like your initial response has gone nowhere, take to the phone (or email) and try and resolve the matter privately.
Follow guidelines. Don’t be tempted to offer a discount or some kind of monetary fix to placate your reviewer. Not only can this been seen as hush money, but it can damage your reputation and if you’re doing it via social media or the like, it could be in violation of their rules.
The customer isn’t always right.
Like marriage and divorce, there’s always two sides to the story. Bad reviews aren’t always because of something you’ve done either. However, if your customer has had one bad experience after another with someone you’ve recommended or worked with on a project, it could potentially reflect badly on you too.
In these situations you have every right to stand up for your brand and tell your side of the story - clear the air, as it were. However, be warned - watchers love the drama and if they see the drama playing out within the review, then it will reflect far more negatively on you than the initial review sitting there with a basic response.
A final note
Don’t avoid (genuine) negative reviews, they’re useful to the growth of your business and the trustworthiness of your brand. So be brave and tackle them head on - your healthy, thriving business will thank you in years to come. Not only can you use the information to improve your business and squash any bugs but it also shows people that you’re a real, live, human - complete with feelings, empathy and all the good stuff that creates a great customer experience.
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