Tips for Responding to Negative Reviews Online
The internet is a wide-open forum, where anyone can post whatever comments that come to their minds.
The internet is a wide-open forum, where anyone can post whatever comments that come to their minds. No matter how great your business is, there are bound to be those who disagree. It can be difficult to know which comments to respond to and which to just let go. Here are some tips to help you respond to some of these comments.
Keep it Professional
Getting negative feedback can make you want to be defensive. No matter what you think of a comment, it is unwise to respond negatively. Wanting to defend your business, employees, and products is a perfectly natural response, but if you do that in an online public forum it can actually do more harm than good.
The worst thing you can possibly do is say that the commenter’s complaint is their fault. Regardless of whose fault it actually is, people never want to be blamed for anything. Don’t take anything personally, because responding emotionally is a bad idea.
Short and Sweet
Long, drawn out, emotional responses to negative reviews cause far more harm than good. It’s basically airing your dirty laundry in a public forum, and that doesn’t help anyone. Instead of getting defensive, try something like,” This is (your name) from (your business). I’m very sorry you had this experience. Please call me at (your phone number) and we can figure out a way to make it right.” Revealing too much information can have serious negative impacts on your business and your customers. By taking it offline, you keep private details private and provide more personal service.
Remember: Anyone Can Read Your Responses
One of the most important things to keep in mind about posting things online is that anyone can read what you say. Even if they aren’t commenting, people still read comments and they will read how you and your business respond whether it’s good or bad. If you respond badly, that could make someone not want to choose your business.
Hire a Professional
If you really want to keep up with social media and the internet, you may want to hire someone to do it. If you decide to do this, make sure your social media person is well aware of exactly how they are supposed to respond to comments, what they are to post, and things like that. This will keep your online image consistent.
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