Haters Gonna Hate: How to Handle a Negative Online Review

We find that one of the biggest reasons agents are hesitant to get involved with social media and online review sites is that they are afraid they will get a negative online review. Let me share something with you: you will always have someone who is not happy with your services, but to avoid using a powerful platform altogether because you are fearful that someone will give you a negative review just doesn’t make sense.

To understand the power of online reviews, consider these recent research findings from BrightLocal’s 2014 Local Consumer Review Survey:

  • 88% of consumers say they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations.
  • 88% of consumers read reviews to determine the quality of a local business.
  • 85% of consumers read up to 10 online reviews when researching products or services.
  • 72% of consumers say they are more likely to make a purchase if the product or service has favorable online reviews.
  • 72% of consumers will take some sort of action after reading a positive review.

The question is not if you will get a negative review but when you will – which means you need to know how to effectively respond so a negative review doesn’t have a negative effect on your reputation and your bottom line!

7 Effective Ways to Respond to a Negative Online Review

The way to successfully handle a negative review is first, to have as many positive reviews as possible. Think about it, the last time you went to order something on Amazon, did the product have both positive and negative reviews? Of course!

But you still purchased it right? Why? Because innately we all know that no matter what product or service is sold, there will always be someone who is not happy. So as long as we see more positive reviews than negative ones, we usually still invest in the product or service.

People are not looking for perfection from you; what matters is how you address problems by being transparent, genuinely concerned and responding positively. Here are seven effective ways to address a negative online review:

  1. Contact the review site. If the review is flagrantly false, defamatory or you can prove a disgruntled former employee or competitor submitted it, you can contact the review site and ask for its removal. Just be sure you can prove what you say. In my experience, it’s unlikely they will edit or remove the offending review, but it still doesn’t hurt to ask them to in a professional manner.
  2. Address it quickly, professionally and positively. Respond directly to the review on the site and let the reviewer know you are sorry they are not happy and will do everything in your power to make it right. Be positive in your response! Let them know that although you have worked with hundreds of clients who are happy with your services, to hear that there is even just one who is unhappy upsets and concerns you. Encourage them to contact you directly to try and resolve the issue. That shows other readers you are responsive and care about what people think. Thank them for their business, for bringing this to your attention and mention any specific actions you are taking to address their issue or to keep it from happening again.

Note: Yelp uses an algorithm to determine the “legitimacy” of reviews and often hides reviews in the filtered reviews section at the bottom of each page. Even legitimate, 5-star reviews can be found there, especially if they are from first-time reviewers. If that’s the case on your page, don’t be shy about drawing attention to these reviews in your commentary. Many people don’t know where to find the hidden reviews.

  1. Resolve the problem. If you can find an email address for the reviewer (or already know who they are), email them directly, If not, respond in the comment thread and ask them to send you their email address or phone number privately so you can personally address their issue. Then ask them what you can do to resolve the problem and work with them to find a solution. Even if the issue seems unreasonable to you, making them a satisfied client will pay off for you down the road.
  2. Request an updated review. Once the problem has been resolved to the reviewer’s satisfaction, ask them if they would consider deleting their original post or updating it to reflect that the issue has been resolved. If they prefer not to, then provide a comment on the site that you were happy to resolve the problem to the reviewer’s satisfaction. This will demonstrate to other readers that you have acted to address and resolve issues proactively.
  3. Proactively encourage client feedback. Prevention is always cheaper than treatment! Be proactive in seeking out client feedback by conducting an exit interview following the conclusion of every client’s transaction to ensure they have been satisfied with your services. Giving your client a direct voice in expressing any dissatisfaction may prevent them from taking it out on you online.

The Power of the Positive Review

We have a client that currently gets 80- 90 percent of its leads from the Internet. The majority of those leads come from review sites.

And these leads are above average. They are very good about a quick response to an email or phone call, following up to book an appointment the next day and calling to make sure the prospect shows. They have a very low no-show rate in their main office. These people come ready to engage and, usually, hire them.

They have done a great job of leveraging happy client experiences into positive online reviews. While many are wary of online reviews, they embrace them and even post links on the home page of their website with a large banner that touts what their clients are saying about them.

Yes, there are a couple of negative reviews in their pile of client ratings online, but those few serve to legitimize the entire process for them. People find balanced reviews more believable; all positive ratings are usually suspicious.

However you craft your approach to online reviews, you need to be aware that they are not going away. You cannot stick your head in the sand and hope that no one finds the negative reviews online. People want to share their experiences, and others looking for those same services want to know what experience others have had with a service provider. People are not dumb; they will weigh the good with the bad in their own minds and discount those reviews that are clearly irrational or offbeat.

If you let the good work you have done for years speak for you, it will do more for you in bringing you prospects who will already have a propensity to buy from you.

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