Advice from Patch Experts: Responding to Negative Reviews

By: The Patch Directory Team

It's no secret that the work and contributions of small businesses can have a significant impact on the communities they belong to, and they have a huge opportunity online to take that impact even further.

Engaging with your customers online can show them that you share more than their block, you care about their experiences as another member of the community. Responding to positive reviews demonstrates that you care about your customers' experiences and that you appreciate their favorable feedback.

Responding to negative reviews can be less enjoyable, but here are a few guidelines that may help navigate these sometimes tricky situations.

Responding promptly in a positive and personalized manner can present you and your business as being ready to remedy problems and to right potential wrongs. Addressing the review in a timely manner catches the reviewer when she or he is still concerned with the issue and looking for resolution. Responding in a personal manner reveals the the human behind the business and recognizes the human in the customer, setting the tone for a productive dialogue.

Another rule of thumb when addressing negative reviews is don't pretend to be someone you're not. Readers can usually pick up on false reviews, and getting caught falsely fluffing your own feathers will reflect poorly on your business and undermine consumer trust. Instead, ask loyal customers to write their honest assessment of your business, which will hopefully reveal their positive experiences with your business and attract even more customers by word of mouth.

It may also be tempting to delete the review or to avoid the conversation all together, but doing so may mean you're missing an opportunity to turn the negative into a positive. Ask yourself if what the reviewer is saying is accurate, and if so, be receptive to their feedback. We've all had bad experiences with a business, but when they tell you, "We want to make this right," and they do, that positive interaction usually outweighs the initial negative experience. And when readers see that kind of public exchange, it can instill a sense of trust in the business.

If you know a reviewer's comments about your business are untrue, you may be tempted to snap back with a comment saying so, but that will likely not read well to other reviewers or readers. Brief, positive responses are usually the best way to go. This may feel like you're allowing false rumors about your business to spread, but in truth, it provides an opportunity for you to present yourself and the business as engaged and willing to deal with conflict so that problems can be resolved.