10 Tips for Addressing Negative Online Reviews

Introduction

Online reviews are crucial to any eCommerce marketing strategy. According to Google, favorable reviews and a brand's interaction with its customers can enhance your site's exposure throughout search results.

More significantly, online reviews have an effect on a brand's performance and whether prospective customers decide to become purchasers or not. For this reason, every business should always be taking advantage of customer reviews, whether good or bad, constantly monitoring for new reviews.

Giving a response to favorable reviews typically isn't difficult. However, addressing negative evaluations is never easy. Few can accept severe criticism. And it can become more overwhelmingly difficult the angrier a customer is.

The following tips will help you handle the inevitable negative reviews.

1. Respond Immediately

Unhappy customers who leave an unfavorable review often do so shortly after a negative experience. Likewise, they expect a reasonably quick reply. Brands making this wise, rapid move can limit further damages and perhaps even convert an angry customer into a loyal customer.

2. Review the Customer Order

Prior to your initial reply, locate the customer's account and order in your database. This information can help you prepare your response with additional knowledge that might help in solving the complaint.

3. Appreciate Even Negative Feedback

Whether good or bad, all reviews should be welcomed for their genuine worth. Negative feedback is even more vital. It can bring greater insights to your team of rough parts and troublesome spots that consumers undergo during their day-to-day interaction with your company.

4. Give a Thoughtful, Truthful Reply

To err is human. The same goes for businesses. Being open with your customers can make a huge difference. Most consumers, including those giving unfavorable reviews, favor truthful responses to rectify honest mistakes. This reassures them that their complaints will be handled justly and wholeheartedly. Ultimately, the outcome of this usually brings better results for the consumer and business alike.

5. Use Customer's Name in Salutation

Avoid a generic salutation when you write your responses. If you have access to this information, you can add a personal touch by addressing the reviewer by name. Additionally, this will help the customer feel recognized as an individual instead of just another consumer.

6. Be Sympathetic

Some negative customer reviews can be viciously brutal. However, a brand must keep showing its professionalism, no matter what. Professionalism does not retaliate in an argument. Consider your customer's point of view as you begin your response with an apology.

7. Keep Your Reply Brief and Relevant

Being brief will allow you to avoid a defensive attitude in your response. The primary purpose of responding is to show your customer and others reading the review that your priority is to rectify any poor customer experience. Additional explanations aren't necessary.

8. Locate the Problem's Source

Carefully study the customer's review to comprehend the cause of the writer's grievance. Has the customer left hints of expectations on how this issue should be resolved? Are these expectations unreasonable? Was this a product or service complaint? Consider, if roles were switched, how you, as a customer, would expect resolution of this matter.

9. Go the Extra Mile

Although not a requirement, it's always good practice to do more than simply offer an apology. Peace offerings vary, depending on the problem and its impact on your customer, as well as your type of brand. It might be an extension of a membership or subscription, promotional merchandise, or anything you feel that could make a difference to your customer.

10. Follow Up

Don't forget your customers after you have remedied the issue. Do follow-up communication to ensure the problem has been resolved to their satisfaction. If they are satisfied, request that they delete or edit the review to reflect the resolution.

Conclusion

Despite the unpleasantness of negative reviews, they can supply you with beneficial lessons on ways to better your brand and prevent more negative reviews in the future. As you address each unfavorable review, analyze if some proactiveness could have avoided it. Should the issue have been avoidable with little effort, modify your procedures to arrange a solution. If this issue is often repeated and isn't an easy fix, it might require further adjustments.

While you can't satisfy every single customer all of the time, it's necessary to realize that most who give negative reviews merely desire to have their grievances heard. While consumers more and more are seeking other shoppers' advice to make buying decisions, addressing unfavorable reviews favorably is essential for a business to prosper. Remember that customers and their negative reviews are your greatest asset for learning new paths for improvement.