We encourage people to respond to our business performance everyday, since it’s one of the biggest tools at our disposal to grow local businesses. And while I’m sure you get some amazing reviews and responses from your loyal customers, there’s always a chance that you may receive the dreaded 1-star review. It can be deflating, but there’s no need to panic. It’s all a part of the review process! Here’s what you can do next time you get a negative Google Review about your business!
Double Check the Review
It is hard to process, but not everything on the Internet is 100% trustworthy. Sometimes, reviews aren’t from reliable sources and can be flagged for removal. Make sure you check for spam reviews or reviews that don’t come from verifiable sources. These can seem bad but are something that Google will quickly fix for you. Also, verify that the review is not from an account that is tied to a business competitor. If you’re receiving negative reviews from the competition, they may be liable to having their Google My Business eligibility revoked, since leaving negative reviews on competitors’ posts violates the Guidelines for representing your business on Google.
Respond!!!
85% of businesses will NEVER respond to a review! Responding to reviews has benefits. It makes you seem more approachable and responsible. And since most businesses will never respond to client reviews, it can be a great way to separate yourself from the competition. Especially since you are making amends for a bad experience, it’s a great idea to respond and offer apologies (and maybe a little extra) to your disgruntled customers. As long as you make sure that you respond, you’re already a step ahead for regaining angry reviewers good graces!
Remain Calm
We’ve all experienced something like this. And if you’re like me, reading reviews like this can make you angry VERY quickly. However, remember, you’re representing a business. It can be easy to want to respond with anger, disgust, and some choice words (do NOT). Remaining calm during customer reviews responses is the only option for maintaining your online reputation, and a cool, level headed response can make you seem mature and reliable to customers who are reading reviews.
Include Contact Information
Remember, no publicity is bad publicity! Make sure to include your NAP (name, address, and phone number) for direct contact. It makes the entire situation more personal, and can make a client feel more comfortable with directly contacting you, since having an argument on a viewable Google Reviews page isn’t very appealing. Plus, who knows, someone may call your business directly from seeing your phone number in a review response! Citations are citations, no matter where they show up.
Stay Up to Date
Check reviews as frequently possible, or get a tool that will help you do it (link rep management). Responding to a negative review after several months is like not responding at all! It’s a bad idea to wait a long time before responding to reviews – so make sure to check your review numbers as much as possible!
Searchalytics is committed to ensuring that you maintain the highest level of responsiveness and decorum in your reviews interactions. Plus, reviews help drive up revenue! Invest in the Reputation Management tool to ensure that your reviews are working for you, not against you.
