A company’s reputation online is everything especially for businesses that are solely based online. You have to understand that a bad review can prevent your business from getting new customers or clients considering the tough competition today. Just how important is your online reputation? 97% of customers today try to read an online review first before they decide to stick to a company. And in addition to this, 85% of consumers find online reviews to be just as good as personal recommendations.
Now, what if your company has a bad review online? How exactly can you regain the trust of your potential clients?
1. Evaluate the situation and rectify what needs to be rectified
A lot of businesses tend to panic when they encounter a disgruntled customer make a negative review about them. The good thing about reviews is that you know exactly what happened. Here, you can evaluate the situation and assess what needs to be fixed. Does the customer need to get a refund? Does the customer need to be called by your staff? Are they expecting an apology?
2. Respond
The last thing that you want is to not have a response to a negative review written online. This leaves other customers and clients to believe that the negative review is accurate. You can answer the review in a professional manner and apologize if needed. However, keep in mind that your response should include a resolution or explain your side clearly.
Also, the longer that you let the review sit around, the more damage that it can cause. This means that you will have to monitor the Facebook page and your Google My Business account for any negative review every now and then.
3. Flag the fake reviews
Next, you also want to flag the fake reviews. There are people who simply have a lot of time in their hands. Perhaps, you have a competitor who wants to bring your business down? There are many instances that could lead to a fake review. In these occasions, you need to flag these reviews immediately.
4. Get good reviews
Next, you also want to build a solid brand reputation online. In fact, once you’ve built a solid reputation online, you can expect people to talk about your company’s products and/or services. Keep in mind that the word of mouth marketing remains a powerful tool that can be used today.
5. Don’t just promote
Now, if you have a number of bad reviews, it is also a good idea to dilute them. Most platforms average the reviews that you get from people. Now, if you have one negative review out of a hundred, then most likely, people will believe the positive reviews over the negative reviews.
Now, building up on your good reviews can be challenging. You might want to talk to your customers to encourage them to leave a review on Facebook and even on Google My Business. Or perhaps, you simply need to please the customers in order to make sure that they are happy to the point that they will leave a positive comment about your services and your products.
Keep in mind that running your business can be tricky. It might take a lot of adjustments as well. What you have to remember is that a negative review isn’t the end of the world for your business. However, it can also hurt your sales and your overall brand reputation. It is better to know exactly how to handle the situation in case you are faced with one.