However, whatever they publish will have an effect on both your reputation and the decision of every other customer you’ll purchase. Consumers trust one another, so a review can be pretty influential to another patron. At the same time, though, how your business responds to that feedback would also make an impression on a potential consumer.
It’s especially crucial to your online reputation management when that review is negative, as others scrutinise what your reaction will be like. Here’s what you need to know when responding and protecting your business’s reputation on the internet:
Acknowledge Their Name and Time
For any response that your business tries to formulate, always aim to address the reviewer by their name. Generic openings are the last thing that the writer would want to receive, so be sure to write down their name at the beginning of the response.
Alongside that, it’s important to acknowledge the time that a reviewer has dedicated to writing their feedback. Both positive and negative reviews should be courteously thanked as people were able to take time out of their day to write out their thoughts for you.
Try Not to Argue
It’s a complete red flag for any business to go up against a customer, especially when it comes to such a public online space. Avoid using a tone or writing phrases that may imply any form of anger or arguments, as it will do more harm than good for your business name.
Instead, seek a marketing professional to figure out the appropriate tone that you should use when getting back to these reviews. Read through their full review and opt to be gentle instead as you create a response with an expert’s guidance.
Display Empathy
Every point of feedback has specificities that a customer may have been delighted or upset with. Be sure to identify what your customer is trying to say and display empathy rather than feigning that the whole issue is irrational. Use it as an opportunity to showcase that your business aim’s to listen and grow throughout the process.
Contact Privately
Advisors may suggest that certain matters are best handled privately, especially when customers have been mistreated or victim to a genuine mistake. Publicly reply to the review about reaching out through a call or an e-mail and follow through with it. Contacting them privately will be important for both reputation management and customer service.
Be Personable
Whether it’s in the public space or through private correspondence with a troubled reviewer, be sure to be as personable as possible. It wouldn’t be ideal to just plaster on a copy and paste response, as it sends the wrong message that you care less about your customers. Handle it with grace and authenticity instead to sway potential patrons and appease past customers.
Conclusion
There’s no single right way to respond to online reviews, as each one can call for a different response. Just remember these tips and get in touch with a marketing professional who would help you analyse what the best way to get back feedback is.
Need help with your online reputation management? Stellified is a web design and digital marketing agency based in Staffordshire in the UK. Get in touch with us now!
