Running a business and getting positive reviews on your performance motivates you to perform even better. But what if you get some Negative Feedback? You may lose your cool or feel like getting revenge as it is natural to get upset about customers’ negative feedback. Whenever you have uncontrollable emotions, it is better to get away from the keyboard. Despite responding in rage to negative feedback, it will be wise to respond in a calm mental state following all professional manners. Negative Feedback can also be valuable because it allows us to monitor our bad performance and make us more conscious not to make the same mistakes in the future.
Respond to Negative Feedback is not always easy as pie. It needs a technique that we react to negative feedback that may twist a painful situation into something beneficial for your business customers. Information related to getting meaningful feedback is available on plenty of resources, but there is less information on driving negative customer reviews. So, here is some information on responding to negative customer reviews we are sharing under this article based on different anonymous surveys.
- Apologize for non-satisfaction: The business that feels sorry always shows that you understand and value your customers. Saying sorry doesn’t implement that you are going to give them what they are asking for. Customers post Negative Feedback because they are looking for you to apologize and take responsibility for observed mistakes. Try using words like “I’m sorry,” “what can we do to make this right?”, “We were wrong.” Your apology language for non-satisfaction ensures that you understand your customers.
- Instant Respond: You may be too busy in different business activities, but a late response to negative online reviews can develop an image of insincerity among your customers. Responding to Negative Feedback should be on the top of the radar. Always try responding fast whenever you get a notification about a negative customer review, as all online reviews have a date/time of post. So the customer will come to know how long it takes you to respond to them.
- Take the issue to a non-public channel: The best option to satisfy the customer with any subject is to talk directly about the problem and take the case offline. Share your personal support email with a customer and provide more surety that all the possible help will be given. Communicating at an individual level will save further embarrassment on the issue. It also helps in “avoiding companies’ private information” and “avoid humiliation from other customers’ side.” Attending customers personally at any offline platform shows that your company takes customers seriously. It is good to ask customer experience, to offer the best services in future.
- Keep it possibly short: Whenever a point related to Negative Feedback has to be made, follow the “less is more” rule. Response of four to three-sentence is quite enough always. Don’t try to defend every point of a negative review, no matter how demanding the negative review is. A long-winded response may create an image that you agree on the complaint though it needs defending points from your side. Try avoiding saying something extra that could further provoke the customer and encourage him to add more aggression in the negative review.
- Address the customer Individually: While giving a quick response to customers, addressed them personally with their name. Every customer wants to be heard personally. It has been declared in a different anonymous survey done on the customer reviews data 76% of people are on Facebook, Instagram, and Google. That makes sense that you can quickly get the reviewer’s name and use it to demonstrate your point of interaction further.
- Offer them a great deal: Offering a discount coupon, return policy, special promotional offer, free shipping are some of the great deal ideas that any company can offer to their customer who is unsatisfied with their services. Responding to them with these types of offers will leave and positive impact on other customers also. Asking them these kinds of offers may also lead to posting negative reviews by another customer to get a free offer from you. But we think that most customers are reasonable and if they faced a bad experience, offering little discounts can help regain lifelong customers.
Final words:
Today, every company is now getting massive business from online platforms. Whatever customers post the review, either a Negative Feedback, it has to be faced positively. Customer Feedback or review has the power to change the reputation of your business in the market. All new customers first read the review related to your service and product and then move further to place an order with your company. By responding to Negative Feedback, you can positively impact new visiting customers to trust you for your services or products. Solve the issues of the unsatisfied customer depending on their negative comments and ask them to score your NPS (Net Promoter Score) for getting more customers in the future.
