How To Handle Negative Client Reviews Online
Your business is booming and then it happens. A client leaves a negative review of your company. How can this be? You always work hard to deliver for your clients and ensure they’re happy with the finished product. Don’t panic. Here are some tips on how to handle negative client reviews online.
Respond in a timely manner.
In today’s world, people expect a response, and they expect it fast. When a negative review pops up, it’s important that you address it quickly before more people have a chance to read it.
Don’t take it personally.
This is your company and your work they’re talking about. It’s easy to become offended by bad reviews. In this situation, you have to set that aside and not allow your feelings to get in the way.
Take the discussion offline.
Rather than publicly getting into the details, take the discussion offline. Reach out to the customer personally through a social media private message or their personal contact information. It can be a simple message saying, “We’re sorry to hear you aren’t happy with our work. Please let us know the best time to reach you so that we can discuss ways to make it right.”
Don’t use a canned response.
Nothing is more frustrating than when you reach out to a company and get a bland, cookie cutter response. Instead, make sure the response is specific to the situation. For example, if the review stated that your crew damaged their property, refer to it in the message. Tell them that you want to speak with them as to how your company can fix any damage done.
Take appropriate action.
When a customer leaves a bad review, be sure that your actions are the appropriate response. For instance, use the previous example of damaged property. If you offer a 15% discount on their next project, that’s not going to cut it. The customer is already frustrated with your company, so offering a discount isn’t going to smooth things over.
Instead, talk with the customer and offer suggestions on how your team can make it right. Was a window cracked? Offer to replace it. Did they damage the siding? Offer to repair it so that it’s as good as new. This will show them that you care about quality as well as your company’s reputation.
Follow up online.
Once you’ve spoken with the customer and developed an action plan, take it back online. Just as people saw the bad review, they need to see how your team resolved the issue.
Ask customers to leave reviews.
A great way to ensure the majority of your reviews are positive is to encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews. When you leave a project site and the homeowners are grinning from ear to ear, a simple suggestion is more than appropriate. If you really wanted to, you can add a line to your invoices or business cards saying, “If you’re happy with our work, we’d love for you to share your feedback online!”
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