We are not perfect. Hence, what we create or organize may just as well not be perfect, no matter how hard we try.
A deadline can be missed, a call not returned, a product can be faulty and a service can lack finesse…And our customers have every right to notice. So why does it hurt so much when they do?
A negative review can haunt us forever, damaging our confidence and ambition – and what’s worse – most of the time, they are out of our control. What we do control – is how we deal with them. And that can make a difference between moving our business forward or backward.
So what is the best way to handle a bad review? Here’s our take on it!
Accept it
Yes, this may not be your fault. Yes, the situation may look completely different on your side and YES – you may have done nothing wrong. BUT your customer is unhappy. So somewhere along the way a mistake was made (be that miscommunication, bad service or misunderstanding.) So do not run away from it, ignore it or dismiss it. Read it, understand it and think what you can do in the future to avoid it.
Don’t run, Lola! Do NOT!
Don’t hide from negative comments and do not hide negative comments from your potential customers. The worst thing to do is delete it or hide at the bottom of your website far from the eyes of Google Search. You may make the situation worse by creating a cookie-cutter image of a company that is simply hard to believe. Think about it – a business with zero negative comments does sound a bit suspicious, doesn’t it?
Handle it
It all comes down to how you handle negative comments. So if you do not ignore them or run from them – then the natural third is to answer them. What is the best way to answer a negative comment? Probably, you would know the best answer to this, as you know your customers, your business, your strengths and weaknesses.
Let’s just say that you should not:
– come up with excuses
– shift the blame to one of your employees
– blame the customer for not explaining their requirements clearly
or not accept responsibility in any other way.
So why not:
– apologize for causing discomfort to the customer
– offer a solution (if possible)
– offer a compensation and promise to look out for these issues next time
– thank the customer for feedback and encourage them to write more comments.
After all, we spend so much time and effort o market research just to get inside of our customers’ heads and learn what they want. And the fact that they come out and do so by themselves should be looked upon if not as a gift, but at least as a great opportunity!