How to Handle Bad Online Reviews Effectively

Rekindle Your Relationship

It's actually easy to rekindle your relationship and rebuild trust with negative reviews, when done effectively. Ask the angry customer for a chance to make things right. Show your willingness to address their concerns, offering an effective resolution. You can offer a credit or a discount on their next purchase. Remain empathetic and offer great customer service with a genuine desire to improve their experience, turning their negative experience into a positive one. 

Take the Opportunity to Apologise

An apology can really mean something to a disgruntled customer, though it must show genuine remorse and how their experience will be different the next time. Acknowledging the problem and offering a sincere apology can help to defuse the situation. Don’t be dismissive or defensive, this is only going to escalate, making things worse. When you apologise for the experience your customer experienced, it shows you value their feelings and are committed to improving customer satisfaction.

Fix the Problem with the Right Actions

When it comes to apologising to an unhappy customer, a mere apology is not enough. You need to win back your customers trust, which means you need to take the right actions. Outline the steps you will take to fix the problem and prevent it from happening again. You can offer a replacement, a refund, or an addition service to improve your customers experience.

Remain Professional

It's not easy having someone speak ill of your business that you have worked so hard to build, but at the same time, you want to ensure you remain professional and courteous when replying to negative reviews. When you remain professional and courteous, you reduce the risk of heated arguments and negative remarks, protecting your brands reputation. When you respond, you need to remember you are not only replying to your unhappy customers, many of your future potential customers will also read the reviews, so you need to ensure you make a lasting positive impression. 

Always Thank the Customer for Their Feedback

When replying to negative reviews, it's important to keep your response positive. This means thanking them for their feedback, even though it is not a positive one. The negative review you received identifies areas for improvement. When you thank your customer for their feedback, you show your appreciation for their input, demonstrating respect and improving customer experience.

Conclusion

While negative reviews are never pleasant, you have the opportunity to change them into a positive experience by how you respond. Follow the above tips and recommendations, or get in touch with the Genie Crawl team today to handle your online reputation for you, helping you always put your best foot forward.