Online Reviews
Responding to online reviews is a crucial step in building a positive online presence. It gives businesses the opportunity to engage with their customers by allowing them to leave feedback and welcome suggestions. Sometimes, it can be difficult to recognize which reviews you should respond to. Do you only respond to positive reviews? Or should you also respond to negative ones? To ensure your customers feel valued and recognized when they provide a review, here are a few tips.
Negative Reviews:
- Stay calm and take a minute to assess the information
It’s easy to get frustrated by a negative review. People can be harsh and condescending, which can feel very personal. It’s a good idea to take a step back before you respond to gather your emotions and internalize the feedback. However, it’s best to respond within 24 hours.
- Apologize
Empathizing with customers and taking responsibility for a bad experience can be a simple way to avoid conflict. Admit to any mistakes you or an employee might have made, even if it wasn’t entirely your fault. Customers who feel you value their opinions are more likely to forgive and forget.
- Come up with a solution
After you address the situation by apologizing, you can:
- invite them to call your business directly to discuss the experience they had; or,
- invite them to come into your business to try and resolve any issues.
By offering direct communication, you are showing potential customers how you deal with a dissatisfied customer while maintaining a good relationship with current ones
Positive Reviews:
- Acknowledge Customer
When responding to a positive review, addressing the customer by their first name will show that you genuinely care about their positive feedback.
- Show Appreciation
Expressing your gratitude for positive reviews will keep your relationship with your customers strong and demonstrate that you value their opinions. In addition, it communicates that you are passionate about maintaining excellent customer satisfaction.
- Invite them Back
Other than just saying “thank you,” offer the customer more information about your business or inviting them to participate in upcoming sales and events. This gives you more opportunities to provide positive experiences which leads to great reviews.
Timeliness is key, so stay on top of your notifications on social media and other platforms such as
Google My Business. They are tracking and posting your response time and rate as well. Online Reviews are one of the top decision-makers for your potential customers.
Whether you are responding to positive or negative reviews, staying engaged with your customers will build your business, and increase customer loyalty.
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