Negative reviews hurt, and not just your pride. Unfortunately, there is no way to know how much business you are actually losing as a result of a negative review. As painful as it seems, your negative reviews can’t be ignored— wounds that when left untreated, will only continue to infect your online reputation. With the right strategy, your overall star rating on review sites can be saved. A study shows that a one-star increase in a star rating leads to a 5-9 percent increase in revenue! Follow these steps to remedy the adverse effects of a negative review, and let the healing process begin.
Monitor your reviews regularly.
Make it a point to check for any new reviews or changes in your ratings at least once a week, if not daily. The sooner an issue is detected, the sooner the issue can be addressed. By resolving the negative content in a timely manner, you have a better chance at making sure the review bears little to no influence on future customers.
Write a public response to the review.
Responding to a review publicly can be tricky, but when done correctly, it can not only influence the writer of the review, but other readers as well to reconsider his or her perception of your business. Emotions can run high, so avoid responding right away. Give yourself a little time to develop a response that satisfies your customer while maintaining the integrity of your business. For particularly heated situations, take the conversation offline. Review sites, for example, allows business owners to send a direct message to users as a means to resolve matters privately. Either way, a timely and considerate response will help your customers realize that you take their opinion seriously, and likewise take your business seriously.
Drown out the negative noise with positive content.
If your business has a couple bad reviews, but consistently gets positive ones, the good outweighs the bad. Train your staff to encourage happy customers to share their experience and get a steady stream of positive content on your business listing. If there is any validity to the negative statements made about your business, use the negative review as a tool to reevaluate those areas that need improvement.
Seek help from a third party.
While the star rating of your business is invaluable to your success, so is time. Not many business owners can monitor their reviews and ratings on a weekly basis. Hiring a third party to manage your online reputation means less time spent worrying about negative reviews, and more time giving your customers the care and attention they deserve.
Fill out the contact form below to learn more about our solution to doctor any damage caused by the negative content on your online business listings, and start the healing process to improve your reputation online.