Customer reviews are great for building your company’s reputation. When customers are raving about your wonderful services, it’s easy to thank them and show your appreciation. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple. Even the greatest businesses will get bad reviews from time to time and learning how to respond will help you repair the relationship between the customer and your business.
What makes a bad review?
Bad reviews generally come from one of two issues. Either the service was not to the standard that the customer was expecting, or the product did not satisfy them.
Service complaints can involve customer service, packaging, timeline, or others. Maybe a customer dealt with a sales rep who was in a bad mood or was not helpful throughout the buying process. Perhaps the item got delivered to their door shattered due to bad packaging.
When the product does not satisfy the customer this simply means they don’t believe the quality of goods is equal to what they paid for. Maybe a shirt they wore for the first time ripped, or their new kitchen table wobbles when they set it up.
No matter the issue, making an effort to fix the situation will help your reputation and get you more happy customers!
Reply!!
Ignoring these negative reviews is a common mistake. A reply will make the customer feel heard, and give them hope for a resolution. Acknowledging their complaints is important. When potential customers look at your reviews before making a decision, they will be able to get the tone or personality behind your business based on the reviews they see as well as your responses.
TIP– Repeating the complaint that a customer expressed will show you’re attentive to the issue. For example, if the review says “disrespectful over the phone” your apology should include “we are so sorry you felt disrespected on the phone.”
Resolve it 1-1
Taking the conversation away from the review platform will be helpful when you’re attempting to resolve the issue. Give the customer a phone number or email to contact you directly to further discuss the issue or offer a solution.
This is a good example of the business providing a response and acknowledging the complaint, as well as providing a way to further resolve this issue. Leaving their phone number will give the customer another way to discuss the details of their experience.
Offer a Resolution
Giving the customer compensation does not need to happen every time and is up to your discretion! For example, if someone has complained about the shirt they purchased from your store ripping after one wear, this could be a good opportunity to offer them another one for the inconvenience. This could be done by responding to their review and asking them to contact you further, then giving them this solution.
You want each customer who works with your business to leave satisfied, but that won’t always be the case. Value your customers taking the time to write a review and work hard to fix situations that don’t properly portray your business. Interested in learning more about how we manage our clients’ online reputation here at No Time For Social? Give us a call at 512-721-0333 or fill out our contact form online!
