Smart business owners will take a deep breath and investigate before dismissing the complaint outright. They may also be one of the 16 percent of reviews that are fake. Yes, the reviewer might just be a clueless jerk. If any of these issues are real, you can make a lot of customers a whole lot happier by fixing them. Wait times might not be communicated with empathy Here are just a few reviews this iceberg might signal: An iceberg is a seemingly small problem that is much larger and more dangerous below the surface. Maybe not, but this reviewer may also be doing you a favor by pointing out an iceberg. You look closely and notice they didn’t even dine in your restaurant. Let’s say you run a restaurant and someone writes a one-star Yelp review because there was a two hour wait to get seated. This is a signal that can be used to improve your business. Inside all be the most clueless of reviews is a kernel of truth. While you should never solicit this directly, some customers will increase their rating if a business resolves the problem to their satisfaction. There's a third potential benefit to responding to customers who write negative reviews. If you're in the San Diego area, they are the company for plumbing, heating, hvac, electrical, and kitchen or bath remodels.) ( Full disclosure: I’ve used Ideal for years, in large part due to their awesome service. In this case, the person writing the review wasn't even a customer! The business owner used the opportunity to politely clarify the company’s position so other potential customers know what they can and cannot expect. We wish you well in your search for a company that is better matched for your contracting needs. Here’s an example of a terrific response to a one-star review ( full review):Į don't like to turn away business and we are sorry we can't work with everyone in every situation. It might even be picked up by a blogger who uses it as a "how not to" example. That response probably won't win the business any future customers. It has been said, "An educated consumer is our best customer", clearly you do not fall into this category. Here’s an example of a terrible public response to a one-star review ( full review): This makes the tone of your response very important. Your goal here is to signal to other potential customers that you care about their experience and will work hard to make things right. The second option is to respond publicly. Use this connection to try to get to the bottom of the issue and, if possible, make the customer feel better. You can approach this option just like you would a customer email. To do this, you first must set up a free business owner account. One option is to respond privately to a reviewer. Second, maintain a positive public image. There should be two goals whenever responding to a negative Yelp review. That type of coverage is a lot worse than one bad Yelp review. In one extreme example, a small business owner was arrested and sent to a hospital for a mental health evaluation. It might even bring you and your business more negative publicity. Nobody wins an online argument, so fighting a vitriolic review with your own incendiary rant will only make you and your business look bad. Your mom probably told you that two wrongs don’t make a right. ( Note: this post borrows heavily from another post I wrote two years ago on responding to online complaints.) Here are three steps to responding to negative Yelp reviews. Next week’s post will focus on ways you can use Yelp to grow your business. Last week’s post covered five Yelp trends every business owner should know. It’s the second post in a three part series. This post covers proven steps for responding to negative Yelp reviews. It may seem counterintuitive, but these complaints represent an opportunity. Then some bozo comes along and shreds it all to pieces with a scathing write-up. You work hard, train your staff, and pour your heart into providing great customer service. A negative Yelp review can feel like a punch in the gut.
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