Consumers look at online reviews when researching a company, including yours. Monitoring and responding to online reviews is a significant part of good reputation management. Plus, they contain valuable insights into your customers’ experiences, highlighting your strengths and areas for improvement.
Additionally, online reviews can open up a valuable dialogue between you and your customers. Whether the review is positive or negative, it provides an opportunity to engage with consumers and build a stronger reputation.
Responding to online reviews: Why is it important?
You should respond to all online reviews (the good and the bad). Your responses should be considerate, empathetic, and helpful. These responses deepen your brand’s relationship with its customers, improving brand loyalty and customer retention. You’re showing your customers that you care. That could mean showing you’re grateful for their business and positive feedback and that you’re willing to work hard on making things right for those unhappy customers. You value their experiences, insights, and even their critiques.
Responding to negative reviews can be nerve-wracking, but it’s vitally important. Your response is damage control, and it can start to mend bridges with that customer. It also helps protect your company’s online reputation by demonstrating that you take complaints seriously. Additionally, it’s an opportunity to kindly and professionally share your side of the story. Learning your side could make or break a new customer’s first impression if they read your reviews.
Brand image
Your responses (or lack thereof) affect your brand image. It should be clear that your company cares about its customers and conducts itself professionally, even when dealing with negative reviews. Express sincere appreciation for feedback, regularly respond to reviews, and always maintain a friendly demeanour. Responding to online reviews preserves your brand image and online reputation.
Feedback
Feedback points out your company’s strengths and weaknesses and provides the information you need to solve issues as they arise. You can quickly get to the bottom of low reviews by responding earnestly and finding a solution. Once the issue has been resolved, you can request a reevaluation from the customer and receive an honest and accurate assessment of your customer service. This informs how you can approach (and avoid) problems in the future.
Promotion
You can also promote your products and services in your responses to online reviews. If the customer highlighted a specific product or service in their review, your response is a natural place to reiterate its features and benefits. Remember, prospective customers often read online reviews, so using your response to advertise your offerings can generate sales.
How to respond to positive reviews
Responding to positive reviews is easy: simply thank your customer for their business and for leaving such a kind review. In your response, highlight a specific detail from their review to show that you read what they had to say. You can also encourage them to contact your business if they need anything else. Use their name for a personal touch.
How to respond to negative reviews
Negative reviews are more challenging to respond to, but that is equally as important.
You should answer quickly with a personalized response using the customer’s name. Then, acknowledge the problem, empathize with their situation, and sincerely apologize if necessary. You can often neutralize a bad situation just by expressing understanding, empathy, and remorse. Take responsibility (if needed) as you address their concerns. If it’s necessary to share your side of the story, do so gently and with the utmost professionalism. Never blame the customer. Just tell it like it is.
Sometimes, you can continue the conversation through direct message, email, or phone. Give that reviewer the best way to contact you. Personal conversation can be a better way to hear their concerns and make amends.
- Use their name.
- Acknowledge the problem.
- Show empathy and understanding.
- Take responsibility if needed.
- Gently share your side of the story.
- Provide a solution.
- Offer to continue the conversation elsewhere.
Circlewood Creative can help.
Circlewood Creatives manages clients’ Google My Business profiles, monitoring and responding to online reviews (good and bad). We compassionately and expertly navigate negative reviews to preserve your company’s online reputation. Additionally, we regularly post to your Google My Business page to improve your web presence.
Read more in this article: What my business should be posting on Google My Business.
