Yes, you read that right! Negative reviews are not as bad as they seem! Here are 3 reasons why they may actually help your business, as well as some tips on dealing with negative feedback from customers or clients.
1. Most people see past the negative Nellies!
When you get that one reviewer who has never said anything nice about anyone else – don’t worry, people see through them. As long as you respond professionally and kindly, review readers will more likely discredit the negative review than take it seriously. There is no point attacking or humiliating the reviewer, but a calm, measured response will go a long way to downplay the negativity and keep your business glowing.
2. The big red flag in people’s minds
When you are looking at reviews of products, have you ever noticed that some businesses only have great reviews and nothing even remotely constructive? This looks suss! Be aware that allowing only overtly positive reviews to be posted for your business can be a giant red flag for authenticity and honesty, which may do more harm than good. After all, we all have bad days, we are human we make mistakes. Perfection in business is unobtainable, so you are better off embracing a little criticism than appearing too good to be true.
3. The effect on SEO and ranking
It is not just other people who see businesses with only 5-star reviews as suss – Google bots do too! Unfortunately, it has become a bit of a trend for some businesses to pay people for positive reviews (not genuine customers). Keep your review page transparent and, if you do get some negative (or, constructive!) feedback, leave it there and respond appropriately.
How do you respond to negative reviews?
Like with all reviews, it is important to reply promptly in a polite and civil manner. If the matter requires more conversation than the review platform legitimately and appropriately allows, give them your contact details and invite them to speak to you one-on-one. A simple line such as, “thank you for your feedback. We would like to know more about your experience so additional training or procedures can be provided for staff. Please call (phone number) and we can chat” is enough.
You may experience some ridiculous reviews left by people with nothing better to do than ruin your day, but being seen as civil and accommodating will mean those reviews will be largely ignored by readers. If other people see that you have fairly and openly attempted to resolve the issues, you can’t really be faulted.
Click both buttons below and read more about dealing with negative reviews.