6 Steps to Address Negative Online Reviews

There are ways to soften the blow created by negative reviews to your company’s integrity and website’s SEO.

Should you get a bad rap on your business, read these six steps to address negative online reviews:

Don’t Worry

A bad review surely sucks but it is not a hopeless case, as most companies have received at least one.

So, calm down and proceed to the next step.

Assess the Situation

The first thing to do is check if the review is real. Fraud reviews are sometimes created by competitors or some random people you have never served or used your product or services.

After checking the bad review, verify your records to see if that individual is a true customer.

If yes, check the products they have ordered or the services they have availed. Listen to customer service calls.  Gathering details can help you manage the situation and prevent it from occurring in the future.

Act Quickly

A fast response is one of the best ways to address negative online reviews. It is important that you act quickly after you have finished reading the bad review.  Quick action signifies that taking care of your customers is a priority in your business and creates an assurance to potential customers that the same issue would not happen to them.

In case someone who was not a customer gave your business a bad review, use the following process to address the issue:

• Acknowledge the complaint and apologize for the dissatisfaction.
• Mention that you cannot seem to find their records stating they were a previous customer.
• Be proactive in fixing the situation. Provide your contact details.
• Flag the review as a fraud.

For unsatisfied customers, address their complaint and own up to it, even if it is invalid. Avoid making excuses as people tend to disregard them. If the complaint is legitimate, be honest about it and reassure customers that it would not happen again in the future.  And finally, offer to fix the issue.

When it comes to removing fake Google reviews, you can flag the bad reviews

On Google Maps, search your business. Check all the reviews and find the one you want to dispute. Flag the review by clicking the three vertical dots in the upper-right corner of the review. Click ‘Flag as inappropriate’.

Fix the Situation

If you keep on receiving bad publicity online and have gotten more than a couple, maybe its time to make an honest assessment of your business. It means making changes in your business: modifying a faulty product, improving poor customer service, or coming up with new offers. Changes can be unpleasant and stressful, but they are definitely worth it if you want to keep your business running successfully.

Monitor Reviews

Follow up on the negative reviews you have flagged. Check if they were removed and make sure you fulfill your end of the bargain, like changing the way you do customer service or refunding the customer as promised.

By addressing negative reviews, you can sometimes turn them into positive ones. Sometimes, some disgruntled customers can come back with some kudos when you come right back and fix their issues.

In the end, the best way to avoid getting negative reviews is to make an effort to constantly improve your business so you end up with more positive reviews than negative ones.