Negative Google reviews popping into your page may seem like a nightmare. However, when you run a business, you’re bound to encounter some unhappy customers. While dealing with a broad customer base, it’ll always be a challenge to please them all.
Despite being hard to read and imagine how you disappointed some of your clients, every negative review represents a human being that desires your attention.
However, the response you give to counter any review will determine how far you will journey with a particular client. Despite the agitating feeling that comes with each negative comment, this should be seen as an opportunity, not a threat.
Why It’s Important to Respond to Negative Reviews?
Responding to all of the feedback has an impact on your business, but how you respond determines if it will be positive or negative. You should not panic and shy away from the conversation; find a way to tailor polite responses fashioned for each negative review for the following reasons:
Potential Conversion of Negativity to Positivity
If you produce a quality response to an upset customer, they can turn around and change their harsh review into a positive one. At times, you’ll be tempted to ignore negative comments hoping they will soon disappear between the positive reviews. People will always see the bad reviews though, and this strategy can bring your business down.
The unaddressed issues will not only leave the issues unresolved but also give a negative impression to your future visitors. On the other hand, a polite and wisely tailored response can make you seem more personable.
Trusting Relationship with your Clients
Behind every piece of negative feedback is a person looking to get your attention. Perception is always different amongst individuals; therefore, it’s important to show customers your commitment towards their satisfaction. Each review allows you to interact with your customers, building your business together as a unit.
A strong relationship between any company and its customers creates a win-win situation by enhancing open communication.
Boosting your Google Ranking
Customer response and search engine optimization (SEO) rankings have a direct correlation. Google requires a strong interaction between a business and its customers. Therefore, responding to all reviews gives your business a good chance of ranking high on Google search.
The length of time in which you respond to your clients also matters. Most customers who leave a negative review expect to hear from you in 24 to 48 hours. As such, it’s critical to make it a habit to respond to negative reviews as soon as they pop onto your page.
Therefore, as terrible as a negative review is, you should gather yourself and tailor wise feedback immediately. In SEO rankings, Google considers how well you engage your customers and whether they are satisfied or not.
Building a Solid Online Reputation
A frustrated customer can bring the whole business down by spreading their bitterness across the internet. After leaving a bad review, they may encourage others to do the same. Online reputation is oftentimes the first impression, and you should safeguard it at all costs.
Responding to negative reviews not only strengthens your business reputation but may also allow the space for positive comments.
Attracting More Guests
Responding to every review plays an integral role in attracting more guests to your business. New visitors will dig the internet to see what other guests say about their experience. This determines whether they will step foot in your business or turn their back to it.
Whenever they bump into a negative review and are about to bring their business elsewhere, your response might be the reason they stick around. Therefore, a sincere response that addresses the issue and provides a solution (that doesn’t involve arguing) goes a long way in attracting visitors to your business.
Makes the Clients Feel Loved and Cared For
Whenever you respond the customers feel validated and seen. Replying with sympathy and providing a solution to each complaint gives the impression that you care for them. There are a handful of benefits in responding to the negative comments on your site. It gives you the best opportunity to cast your net wide and bring home more clients.
After learning how important it is to respond to the negative reviews on your walls, you might be wondering how to go about it.
Ways to Respond to Negative Google Reviews
A negative review pops up on your page, and you are confused about how to go about it. It can be scary. However, remain calm and kind to ensure things go smoothly. Avoid diction that comes across as aggressive or defensive. Do not blame the customer for their bad experience. Their view is different from yours.
While a one-star rating is not what you wish for, it can be an opportunity to bring the client back. Yes, it can be easy to brush it off and think that someone has decided to take you down, but it’s a chance to learn from your customers.
1. Appreciate the Client
Despite how discouraging a negative review can be, it is always courteous to appreciate the reviewers for taking their time to leave the review. Also, these reviewers give their honest feedback, and if you act on them, you will create stronger connections and steer your business to the next level.
2. Apologize
The first step in approaching negative reviewers is apologizing. You might fail to see the mistake, but apologize anyway. Sympathize with them that they had a bad experience while transacting in your business. You should acknowledge the shortcoming and find a quick way to fix it.
3. Be Simple, Clear, and Persuasive
Going into too much detail or asking questions will worsen the situation. A lengthy conversation may hurt them even more without your knowledge. Address the problem briefly with nice words that will calm the client.
4. Purpose to Resolve the Matter
After acknowledging your shortcoming, make an effort to resolve the customer’s concern. At times, it’s hard to understand them; some may leave negative reviews out of disappointment about things that do not concern your business as a whole.
In this case, launch a further conversation privately and solve the issue personally. Put some extra effort to fix the client’s broken trust.
5. Seek a Third-Party Opinion
If you have to deal with the case immediately, you might act out of anger and cause more harm than you intended. As we said, when responding to negative feedback, you should remember you are addressing present and future customers. Therefore, before posting your response, allow another party to read through the bad review and your response.
Begin the Process Now
Replying to negative reviews gives you a chance to interact with your clients. The steps you follow to handle unhappy clients matter the most. Therefore, ensure you follow the proper protocols and, most importantly, engage professionals; you just can’t go wrong with help from experts.
