Receiving negative reviews online is an inevitable reality of having an online presence. Even local businesses with high-quality services, those that have received numerous accolades for their services, will still suffer the complaints of at least one disgruntled customer.
Flag the Review
The most popular online review sites for local businesses are Yelp and Google. If you receive a bad or fake review on either of these, the first thing you can do is flag the review. If it is false, contains offensive language, or contains sensitive information related to your business, this should be your first step. Yelp and Google have strict policies regarding these types of reviews, so there is a good chance the review will be removed if it breaks their policy.
Respond to the Review
Responding and addressing the review might be your best option. Negative reviews can alter consumer’s perceptions of your business so you want to make sure you stand up and justify the situation.
Acknowledge the Issue
Even if you believe that the customer who wrote the negative review is wrong, it is still important to acknowledge the issue. First, thank the customer for bringing the issue to your attention. You can respond with something like “Thank you for giving us your feedback and making us aware of this issue.” By simply acknowledging the problem, you are taking the first step to finding a solution to the issue.
Apologize
There’s no point in acknowledging the issue if you aren’t going to apologize for it. As a business owner, it’s always better to be the bigger person and apologize for the issue, even if you believe the customer was wrong. An apology will make the complaining customer happy and also show other people that you care about giving your customers the best service possible.
Provide an Explanation
If it’s necessary, explain what happened. Most of the time, an apology will be enough; however, there may be an instance where you need to clear up a misunderstanding. When explaining, try not to make up excuses; just take responsibility.
Contact Boston Web Marketing For Expert Reputation Management
If you need a professional digital marketing and SEO team to assist with your business’s online presence, contact Boston Web Marketing! Our number one priority is to not only get your business found organically on search engines but to also get great reviews for your business to help build online credibility. Contact us at 857-349-5062 to learn more about how we can help you.