Maintaining a reputable online presence allows your business to build trust and generate positive word-of mouth which is a powerful marketing tool. Being able to effectively reply to negative Google reviews can lead to forming a strong relationship with your customers because it allows you to directly engage with them by acknowledging their wants and needs. This blog post will go over the steps you should follow when replying to a negative Google review.
1. Acknowledge The Negative Review
The first thing you want to do when managing a negative Google review is to generate a fast response by apologizing to the customer for his/her negative experience. This will let all customers know that their feedback is greatly appreciated and taken into consideration.
Pictured is an example of a suggested reply to a negative Google review that was left by a customer.
“I had such an awful experience with this company I felt the need to share. Last evening my AC breaker tripped and wouldn’t reset. I called them, explained my issue and stated I have a 2 week old infant, we need service as soon as possible. It took over a day to schedule an appointment and later on I realized I was highly overcharged…I don’t recommend.”
↪Reply: Thank you for taking the time to review us. We are deeply sorry to hear about your negative experience and are working hard to prevent this from happening again.We have sent you a direct message to break down the costs associated with the services provided.
2. Contact The Customer Privately
After acknowledging the negative Google review, contact the customer privately so it allows the business to verify the authenticity of the claim. A private conversation also allows space for further clarification of the issue and the chance to build a one-on-one relationship with the customer.
3. Provide A Solution
Getting to this step can be hard as angry and dissatisfied customers may want to break ties with the business as a whole. Offering a conscious solution can fix the problem and retain the customer. Additionally, the business should offer some type of logical compensation for the poor service that was provided. This can be a discount or a complementary service that will encourage the customer to come back for a second chance in the future.
4. Follow-up
The final step is to follow-up with the customer via email, phone, or private message to ensure that satisfaction was granted. Doing this will also reinforce the customer’s understanding that the business is being proactive when it comes to customer service.
Dealing with negative Google reviews can be tricky at times because not every customer is willing to cooperate. However, communicating effectively does the trick most of the time. The important thing is that the business learns from the feedback of its customers to operate successfully. Follow these quick steps to help your business manage negative Google reviews!
