You might think that a bad customer rating is just some Internet venting, but the truth of the matter is it impacts your search engine rankings. It may help you see who has been talking negatively about your business, because they are visible for everyone else to read as well.
The internet has taken over the world, and online reviews are bound to drive customers either towards or away from your business. This is because people can now see what other’s think of their experience with you before making a decision on where they want to spend money. Making customer satisfaction an essential part of your business can only help you gain more customers and generate higher profits.
Understand that negative reviews on Google are a part of business
Businesses need to understand that negative reviews on Google are part of the game. It’s important for them to not only recognise these situations before they happen, but also know how best handle this type or situation if it does arise.
Negative reviews are a testament to your business’s success. Companies like Amazon, Yelp and Google rely on them as an indicator of what not do provide their customers with; thus, you should make sure all aspects of customer satisfaction matters, so people don’t leave negative feedback at all!
What are the benefits of responding to negative google reviews?
Negative reviews on Google can be frustrating, but they also have the potential to benefit your business in countless ways. Negative feedback might just need a little tweak before being an asset to you!
Strategies for responding to negative reviews on Google
What are some strategies that businesses use when responding negatively on Google? For starters, it is important that you remain professional and courteous at all times, no matter how much someone may be berating you!
There’s no one-size fits all approach; however, there’s been great success using these three techniques:
- Address the negative review quickly.
One of the most common mistakes made by business owners is to ignore negative reviews. This can make things worse because it makes the customer feel ignored and resentful toward your business. A lack of response may also discourage potential customers and keep them away from your products or services.
- Apologise and thank the reviewer for sharing his or her thoughts, e.g.
“Firstly, thanks for sharing your feedback. We are very sorry that {negative aspect} didn’t meet your expectations. We clearly fell short, and I apologise.
In the future, we will ensure that {the situation} doesn’t happen again. As a company, we care about our customers. We’re always looking for ways to keep them satisfied and happy and will do everything in our power to hold ourselves to that standard.
We’re truly sorry for missing the mark this time. We will do better in the future, and we appreciate your patience while we work to resolve all of these issues.
- Provide more information (if appropriate)
Explain what happened — don’t make excuses, i.e. “our truck was involved in an accident and couldn’t get your order on time, and we’re sorry we didn’t have a backup plan in place to get you what you neede
Conclusion
It is important to respond to negative reviews on Google because it shows that you care about your customers. We recommend you take the time to respond in a timely manner, and with empathy. If your response is lacking any of these elements, it may do more harm than good. However, if you are able to empathise with what they’re saying without agreeing or disagreeing (i.e., “I understand how this would make things difficult for you), then not only will it help them feel heard but also give potential customers an idea of who is behind the company.
Remember the golden rule of customer service — “you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” Showing empathy and understanding in response to harsh criticism will often disarm customers, while also giving you an opportunity to turn disgruntled consumers into satisfied ones who may even share their positive experience on social media or leave another great review for you in return!
Want help with negative reviews on Google? Contact us today.
Easy System for getting reviews
Take the Hassle out of getting reviews
Learn how to:
- ASK your customers for a Google review
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- RESPOND to their review
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- How to use My Easy System for Getting Reviews Guide
- Customer Review Monitoring List Template
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