Managing Online Reviews Correctly

The reviews that are posted online can be very good for your business. They can also be very bad for your business. For these reasons we’ll be focusing on managing bad and potentially damaging reviews; good reviews really require no management, just a thank you. Alright, but what do you do when someone bad mouths you on the internet? irrelevant of whether or not it’s a “real” complaint.

Thank You and Sorry

Begin by thanking the person for taking the time to post their response, remember that they’ve taken time out their day to express their discontent at some part of your business. In today’s world time is our most valuable commodity so the fact that they’ve given up their’s to review your location means that it deserves your attention. If it’s just a nice review only a thank you is necessary, if it’s a bad review you should apologise for their experience and then we recommend you follow the below instructions.

Don’t Offer Them Anything

As tempting and as easy as it may seem to offer the complainer something to rectify their problem, it doesn’t actually do anything for you or your business; it will never actually solves the problem. Sometime these people are just looking for something for free, don’t give them what they’re looking for, instead look to see how their problem can help you help yourself first.

Ask Them To Reach Out

The only thing you should offer someone who leaves a bad review online is the chance to have their complaint heard. If they take you up on this offer then, in private, you can offer to rectify their experience with anything you feel necessary. The difference here is that you’re not offering it in public (so others don’t know what you’re saying so they wont complain expecting to be given things).

Resolve And Respond

If you’ve resolved this situation, or it was a one off occasion -where the heating was out in the winter for example- then mention this in your immediate response, this will not only be appreciated by the recipient but it will show other browsers that you are quick response to ensure customer satisfaction. Only showing your business in a good light.

Different Platform Different Response

On social media platforms you may be able to contact the reviewer directly, however, on review sites you may have to wait for them to contact you; different sites have different rules. Either way, ensuring that you respond publicly is paramount; even if you can direct message them it is best if you also respond publicly.

Reviews don’t have to be as detrimental to you business as some perceive. When responding to reviews you need to project a friendly, helpful, and caring persona. This will not only put you in good standings with the complainer but also with anyone who views that review; and, with the quantity of people who look at reviews before going out, the way you respond to bad reviews will help define their opinion of your location, and, therefore, whether or not they’re going to end up visiting your place or not.