Do Consumers Have the Right to Leave Reviews and Not Be Bullied
If you lot own a concern, online reviews come with the territory. What's unfortunate is that no affair how well you handle your business, some of those reviews are going to exist negative. And if you thought the bullies were bad dorsum in high schoolhouse, yous haven't seen annihilation still!
Online bullies are the worst, especially when they're picking on your brand. And if you don't know how to respond, things tin can get ugly in a hurry. If you're not sure how to handle online bullies and reply to negative online reviews, the following tips should help.
Bonus Content: Get a re-create of our Marketing Survival Kit.
Go Yours Now
1. Make Certain You're Paying Attention
In school, you couldn't miss a bully; intimidation was a face-to-face matter. But online bullies often get completely unnoticed by small business owners who aren't monitoring their online reviews. If you want to nip negative online reviews in the bud, yous have to claim your online profiles, monitor the conversation and reply rationally. That ways maintaining a abiding presence on Yelp, Google and any industry-specific sites where your business can go reviewed.
two. Determine If a Response Is Required
When y'all see a negative online review, your first impulse is to let the world know why the reviewer is wrong. But that's not always the best thought. Responding in the heat of the moment tin can often lead to bigger headaches downwardly the line. Instead, take a moment to exhale and think it over. Does your critic have a legitimate complaint, or are they just some other online bully?
If the client'southward concerns are 18-carat, by all ways, answer. Accept responsibility for your role in the problem, offer a sincere apology and try to start the healing process. By correcting the situation, you lot not only earn the respect of the reviewer, simply yous also show future prospects, who will read the review afterward, that you lot intendance nearly your customers.
Merely keep in mind, not every negative online review deserves a response. If you take an anonymous user screaming at you in ALL CAPS and making little to no sense in the process, what are the chances a well-thought-out response is going to make a divergence?
Try to brand the save if possible, only always use your best judgment. Sometimes information technology's better to take these conversations offline. After all, the final thing yous desire to do is go into a virtual shouting match with an online cracking. Rest assured; most consumers tin tell the difference between a legitimate reviewer and an online bully trolling for attention.
iii. Do Your Homework
Depending on your business organization and the amount of data provided past the reviewer, you lot may exist able to research the exact transaction before responding. If possible, search your records and speak with your colleagues about what occurred before crafting a response to the online review. This volition allow you to address specifics, show that you're a hands-on business owner and hopefully make it easier to reach a mutually agreeable resolution.
four. Determine How to Respond
You really have ii options — respond directly to the review online, or try to accept a more personal offline approach. Both options have their pros and cons.
Public responses put your customer service skills on display. The idea here isn't to win an statement but, rather, to rectify a bad situation, change the reviewer'southward perception and further build your online reputation. Of form, if you lot're dealing with an online not bad, a public response can further beal the situation, prompting more ranting and raving. If it becomes clear they actually want to be helped, it may exist all-time to let them have the last word and walk away.
Private responses (via directly message on the review site, email or phone phone call) don't get the attention of public responses, just they're more personal and give you lot a chance to connect with the client in a way public responses don't. Of grade, with phone calls, you lot have to be prepared. The angriest reviewer may plough out to be a real sweetheart on the phone or you may go to hear that ALL CAPS rant screamed direct into your ear.
And if you do happen to reach a resolution offline, don't forget to enquire them to update their review to reverberate the new status of the situation. That fashion, future readers will come across that the consequence was taken care of and the customer is now satisfied.
v. Respond ASAP
Exist thoughtful and do your enquiry, merely remember: Negative online reviews should be handled rapidly. Whether yous're dealing with an online bully or just a disappointed customer who has let his anger go the best of him, you lot don't desire to leave them to stew. It'due south all-time to face up the issue early, otherwise the ranting and raving may continue or even go viral, which can wreak havoc on your reputation online.
Hither are vii all-time practices for responding to negative online reviews you'll desire to keep in heed:
- Never lash out. Never become personal. Always continue it polite and professional, just as you would confront to confront.
- Only address legitimate concerns. Don't allow an online bully depict you into a game of 1-upmanship.
- Always be direct and direct to the point. Get out no room for misinterpretation.
- Thank reviewers for taking the time to bring bad experiences to your attention. Allow them know you pride yourself on splendid customer service and appreciate the opportunity to make things right.
- Allow them know yous're listening and genuinely concerned. A petty empathy goes a long mode.
- Apologize when appropriate, but don't take responsibility for things that weren't your fault.
- If it becomes apparent that y'all're dealing with an online bully whose only calendar is to make you expect bad, walk away. In that location are some battles y'all just can't win.
Wrap-upwardly
Allow'due south face information technology. Some people are simply apparently mean. In that location's nothing you can practice about that. Simply you can control how y'all react. You lot can also do your best to provide top-notch customer service at every opportunity. Genuine customers and prospects will recognize and capeesh your efforts.
So to recap — claim your online profiles, monitor the chat, respond to negative reviews quickly just advisedly, and testify the globe how much you lot intendance about your customers.
And if you demand a lilliputian help, don't be agape to automate the procedure. We can help you monitor the conversation around your brand, identify make advocates and take your online reputation to the next level!
Source: https://www.outboundengine.com/blog/how-to-handle-negative-reviews/
0 Response to "Do Consumers Have the Right to Leave Reviews and Not Be Bullied"
Post a Comment