By Jay Gierak
My dentist once had a customer slander him on Yelp in an effort to get out of a bill. He asked if I could help, hoping I might know someone at Yelp fix the problem. The review persisted online for years, as did my dentist's pleas for help.
My dentist's story is not uncommon. Negative reviews from unhappy customers, peeved ex-employees or close competitors are a challenge for local businesses, legitimate or not.
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The reality is that reviews influence purchasing decisions: 76 percent of people read online reviews before choosing a local business, and 80 percent of consumers will change their purchase decision based on a bad review. More than ever, your online reputation is critical for attracting and maintaining customers.
Even the best businesses encounter a bad review. Here are the four best ways to address the issue head on when it happens. Continue reading...
Find out what's happening in Small Businessfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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