How to Turn Negative Reviewers Into Loyal Customers
You just picked up your phone and saw the negative review. Do you need to respond? And if so, how? Many times we consider responding to negative reviews as damage control, but it's actually an opportunity to earn the trust of the reviewer and other potential customers who read your response. Here’s how:
Consider: Is there anything valid in their review?
Even in poorly written or highly emotional reviews there is often a valid point to be made. Your business will not profit from a heated response, but it could be strengthened if you give every review the benefit of the doubt. We all get defensive when we receive criticism, especially from an unknown source, but great businesses are made when criticism is considered and used constructively. So, take a deep breath and comb through the review by asking yourself these two questions:
Was their criticism the direct result of something done (or not done) by my staff/product?
Maybe you did miss their phone call. Maybe the website did state the package prices incorrectly. Perhaps your employee overcommitted that week and this customer has a reason to feel that they weren’t given the time and attention they were promised. None of these issues are irreconcilable, but they all deserve an honest and proactive response.
Is there any obvious way to reverse or compensate for the mistake?
Sometimes the solution is as simple as picking up the phone and calling to talk it over. You could issue a replacement product, offer a free service, or just comp the cost. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it matches the weight of the mistake made. (For example, there is no need to give a free subscription for one missed phone call, but be sure to give one if the end of the year deadline wasn’t met.)
The way you handle negative reviews tells customers more about you and your business than ads and “about” pages ever will. Ironically, crafting a response to negative reviews is your quickest opportunity to gain customer loyalty.
When writing the response:
Empathize without dismissing
Make the customer feel seen, even if their complaint wasn’t something you had any control over. Acknowledge them and the fact that they took the time to write, then address the issue. Make sure to keep it short and sweet, defensiveness or trying to explain why the mistake was made will detract from the goal of building trust.
End with a call to action
Invite them to give your company another chance. If you need to follow-up personally (not on the internet chat board) then invite them to call you, or reach out to them after writing a short response to their public review.
Loyalty can be built up over time by consistently providing excellent service/products, or it can be gained in an instant by making a frustrated customer feel seen, heard, and important. Negative reviews are your company’s opportunity to do just that.
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***If the review includes obscenities, is a personal attack against you or an employee, or is a rant that has no relevance to your business then delete it. Reach out to the writer if you feel like any of the points from above still apply, but with deleted reviews no call to action is necessary.
