Really Unkind Reviews
Some business owners are not generally fans of the open, transparent forum of the review sites. They feel they have no control. This is not 100% true.
How to have control in this transparent, feedback environment
- Set Google Alerts with your company’s name and your name (how to do this: Baby Step into Social Media).
- Offer incentives to your staff for excellent customer service, so they understand how important this is for your business (tips on how to do this: Good Customer Service is Great Marketing). Whenever possible, empower your employees to provide customers with solutions (The Policy for Policy Sake: Customer Service).
- Respond to all feedback. Thank the people that write good reviews. Ask to learn more from people with negative comments. Post an email address to discuss their issue away from the online platforms.
- On your website, make it very clear how people can contact you and respond immediately. People just need to be heard and have their problem solved. Many go online with their complaint when they feel ignored or there aren’t any available alternatives to reach you.
Handling the Really Unkind Review
While working on a client’s Google Places profile, I saw a terrible review. It was anonymous. It was from someone who admitted they have not done business with this client. It offered a VERY harsh, business-devasting, false accusation. The client had responded to the review with the facts. However, the 0-stars harmed the business review score. More importantly, a prospective client may believe the terrible accusation.
I challenged the review. I clinked on the “inappropriate” link beneath the review and wrote to the review source site how I felt about the review. The site removed the review.
A week later, during a haircut I noticed the business I was visiting had low stars on their Google Places profile. After further investigation, they had quite a few 5-star reviews … and one 1-star review. Remember how one poor grade brought your whole GPA down? Same math. The 1-star review was from a person who wrote a RAVE review for a competitor of this business. She also went through all the competition and clicked 1-star. 13 competitors in all received 1-star and no comments. I recommended that the owner challenge that review.
To control this environment in which everyone has a platform to cheer or jeer your business, protect it by monitoring the web, respond swiftly and with empathy. If a review is truly inappropriate – stand up for your rights and ask the review source site to remove the review.