We Need To Talk About You & Your Reviews
As a small business owner, you work hard to protect your brand’s reputation and you pride yourself in giving your customers the highest level of service. What happens when a customer is not happy and decides to leave their frustrations for all to read in the form of a negative review on the internet.
Monitor Your Reviews
Monitor Your ReviewsCustomers may not always confront you immediately about a negative experience at your business, but rather go straight to the internet to share their disappointment. It is impossible to track every possible review site but there are a few that are most customers’ go tos. Make sure you have claimed your online business listings such as Google and Yelp. If you’ve not yet done this, Dotcom.Marketing offers local SEO services for an exceptionally low cost. Take advantage of the expert checklists and guidance we offer during this setup.
If you have a Facebook Business page keep track of customer ratings and any posts made on your wall. Every once in a while run a search of your business through the major search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Bing and check for any possible reviews or comments regarding your business on lesser-known niche sites.
Respond Quickly & Politely
Stay diligent and aware of your business’ online presence. As soon as you spot a negative review, make it a point to respond as soon as possible. Respond to your customer in an apologetic tone and ask that they call you personally or email you to discuss their experience so that you can make it right. Do not be combative or defensive in your online response.
Make Your Customer an Offer
When speaking to your customers, listen to their concerns and be understanding. Offer them a future discount on a service or a product replacement if it is warranted. Once you feel the customer has been satisfied with your business, send them an email or give them a call asking them if they would reconsider their negative review. They may very well remove the negative review or update it to a more favorable light.
Regroup and Move On
If you have tried your best to satisfy your customer but they are not budging, just take a deep breath and regroup. After all, it is just one drop in the bucket of reviews available about your business. Refocus your energy on asking your best customers for positive reviews on your business and continue moving forward. Make a list of how your team can avoid this type of issue in the future and then together, move forward.
