Emily Washkovick
Emily Washkovick.
- Emily Washkovick is a senior field marketing manager and small business expert at Yelp.
- She educates business owners on best practices and provides resources to help them grow and succeed.
- Washkovick says the most important rule to follow is to always respond to your reviews. Yelp data also shows that longer responses tend to have better outcomes than shorter responses.
- Click here for more BI Prime stories.
Getting a great review from a customer feels amazing. But there are always detractors out there, and when one of them posts a bad review, it can feel like a dent to your business.
When that happens, it's important to keep things in perspective: Negative reviews aren't necessarily a bad thing - it's how you respond to the review that matters. That's because your customers' experience with your company doesn't end with in-person interactions - online exchanges are a part of their whole experience, too.
There's always an opportunity to use a bad review to your advantage. The magic happens when you learn how to embrace your customers' feedback, and there are some clear things you should and shouldn't do when responding to a negative review.
For one, it is almost always better to go into detail when responding to a negative customer review. According to Yelp data, the longest 20% of review responses have a whopping 4400% greater chance of seeing an increase in star ratings than the shortest 20% of responses. In other words, the longer a business owner's response, the more often the reviewer went back to write a new review with a higher star rating - and the more the business's overall average star rating increased.
Here are some other key points to keep in mind when responding to a negative review.
1. Thank your reviewer
No matter how angry or negative the review was, always start your response by thanking your reviewer. It's a simple way to show your appreciation for their feedback.
The customer experience is a two-way street and receiving any review opens up the opportunity for you to connect with your customers, which includes both the person who posted the review and future customers who will look up your business.
2. Perform market research
You can fix a wrong by letting the reviewer know you will seriously consider their feedback, which you absolutely should. Think of customer reviews as market research. They are indicators of what your customers expect and can help you realize what modifications you need to make to improve your business.
For example, Yelp data shows that around 80% of reviewers who mention speaking to a manager gave one-star reviews. This is a clear opportunity for businesses to retrain their managers on how to cater to the customer and learn the essential art of de-escalating a hairy situation.
3. If you can fix it, let the customer know what you will change - and how
Maybe a customer received an incorrect order, or the package arrived later than expected. If you're able to provide a refund or some sort of credit, let your customer know. Often, companies get a manager involved or provide a direct contact line so the customer can reach out for further assistance.
Keep in mind that you don't always need to address every single complaint. Use your judgment and know that it's okay to ignore some of them and only reply about the things you will fix.
Anything that is a matter of personal taste, opinions about aesthetics, or comments on your intentional choices that don't impact your product or service can be ignored. For example, there's no point in addressing comments like, 'Your prices are too high,' 'I don't like the decor,' or 'your business name is stupid' if you have no intention of changing the price, decor, or business name.
4. If you agree with the complaint, but can't fix it right away, let the customer know you've heard them
You earn customer loyalty by acknowledging, not ignoring, them. The goal is to let them know that you care about their experience and appreciate any feedback.
Maybe a customer complained about your restaurant being too cramped and not having more tables - and you agree. But these might be larger changes that you can't make the next day. Let the customer know you think they've made a good point and that you'll continuously strive to provide a better customer experience.
5. If you disagree with the customer, a simple acknowledgement is enough
Never underestimate the power of the words "I'm sorry," and "I appreciate it." Even if you don't think the customer's point is valid, it's crucial to show empathy without trying to defend yourself or prove them wrong.
You can't make everyone happy, and just because a customer had a bad experience doesn't mean you need to make drastic changes to your product or service. Your response can be as simple as, "I'm sorry we did not meet your expectations, but we appreciate your sharing feedback." It's a diplomatic way of saying you still stand by your business practices.
An example of a good response:
A good response to a dissatisfied customer is this reply from a business owner. The customer complained about high prices and poor customer service, and Glen I. thanked the customer for the feedback, apologized for the bad experience, and detailed the steps he would take to correct the problem.
Yelp.
Courtesy Yelp.
Glen also found an opportunity to highlight something positive about his business: he does employ high school students (as the customer pointed out in a negative way) because he believes in providing a high-quality first job experience and, with proper training, students make very good employees. He ended by thanking the reviewer again and promised to talk to his staff.
An example of a bad response:
Of course, not all responses are exemplary. It's important not to let your emotions get the best of you when responding to customers. Here's an example of how you shouldn't react.
Yelp
Courtesy Yelp.
Take a moment to vent to a friend or co-worker, and write up the response you want to post - then delete it. Take a deep breath and take the high road. Remember that other customers, returning and potential, will see this response. You always want you and your business to look positive and professional, not reactive and angry, which could turn off potential customers.
This even applies to when you feel and know that you're right. While it's tempting to simply state the facts and bash on the customer for being wrong, don't. Hold your tongue and stay diplomatic.
Remember, whether good or bad, all reviews are an opportunity for you to engage with your customers and participate in building your brand experience. The biggest rule to follow? Always respond to your reviews.