Part of promoting your business online is understanding how to respond to negative reviews. Today's consumer uses review websites not only to see what others are saying about you, but also to see how you respond to and interact with your clients.
- Are your responses friendly?
- Can the reader sense your connection with your clients?
- Do you make changes to your business based on client posts?
- Are negative posts handled with excellent customer service?
- Can the reader see that you are trying to work with difficult situations?
- Do you come across as enjoying your work and concerned about the quality of your products and services?
If there is one rule in responding to reviews, whether they are positive or negative, it's BE NICE. This is easy when your client raves about how amazing you are, that you walk on water and glow in the dark, but the challenge comes when Cranky Cruella hits the web.
You work hard and pour your life into your business, so your likely first reaction to a negative review is one of hurt and anger. Don't reply to a post when you are feeling this way! Even if you try to be nice, that anger is likely to come through in your response. Here are some tips on bringing yourself into the right frame of mind and composing a reply that is professional and holds the best chance of mending bridges and showing off your excellent customer service:
- Shake it off. Go for a walk, play with the dog, get away from work and ignore the computer for a little while. Know that negative reviews happen to everyone and it is just your turn.
- Cut the reviewer some slack. When people are under stress, they can react emotionally and you don't know what else is going on in his/her life that added to the situation.
- Look at the situation critically. Is there something that needs fixing in your business? Is there a way you could avoid similar situations in the future? Can you make some changes?
- Talk to a trusted friend. Choose someone who will help you determine if you need to make changes or if it was a misunderstanding or just a perfect storm of mishaps.
- Plan out your response and give it to someone else to evaluate it before you post it publicly. Ask the person to let you know if it sounds at all defensive or angry and rewrite until you get it right.
It's not easy and it does hurt, but when you address negative posts by being nice, you can address difficult issues, make quality business decisions, and improve your services while retaining and attracting customers. Your quality customer service and passion for excellence will greatly serve to promote your business.
http://www.impresionsrm.com
#promoteyourbusiness #onlinemarketing
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