A recent study found that when businesses respond
to customer reviews (even the bad ones),
their overall ratings subsequently increase.
their expectations can ultimately steer you toward the
goal of meeting their needs. In addition, reviews can
help you identify who your top employees are and which
team members may need some additional training or
coaching.
Influence Purchase Decisions
Reviews give prospective customers the information
they need to advance from consideration to actually
doing business with your company. In fact, 90% of
people report that reviews influence their decision to
make a purchase. Once prospects browse star ratings,
your number of reviews and basic business information,
they’ll start reading individual reviews from your
customers to see what it’s actually like to do business
with you.
While your price range, products and services will
likely be somewhat comparable to those of your competitors,
it is important to focus on what sets you apart
from the rest. Delivering best-in-class service, having
a well-trained and courteous team of customer service
representatives (CSRs) and offering extended service
hours are fairly simple ways to gain high praise from
your customers and attract prospects.
Responding to Reviews: The Dos and Don’ts
Once your company starts generating reviews, it’s
important to take the next step: responding to them. A
recent study found that when businesses
respond to customer reviews (even the bad
ones), their overall ratings subsequently
increase. Skillfully responding to your
online reviews not only builds your brand
identity, but also keeps your online reputation
in check. With so much at stake, it
is important to get your responses right.
Dos
• Always Apologize: One of the most
important things to do when addressing
a negative review is to start by
acknowledging the customer’s concerns.
Even if they seem unfounded,
it’s important to empathize and show
sympathy that they had a bad experi-
ence with your company. This means apologizing—
even if the mishap is not your fault. Owning up to
the mistake and offering a sincere apology helps
diffuse the situation and puts your company in a
better light.
• Resolve Any Issues: Don’t just respond to a negative
review; fix the problem at hand. By openly
explaining what went wrong and how it won’t
happen again, you show customers that preventative
measures are being taken to truly solve the
issue. With consumers trusting online reviews more
than ever before, it’s important to go the extra mile,
turning a bad situation into a good one.
• Take it Offline: Remember, in the digital world,
everyone is watching and the last thing you want is
a back-and forth-argument for all to see. If possible,
ask the reviewer to call, email or even private message
your business so you can privately discuss and
resolve any issues they may have. No matter the
platform, it is all about making it right and providing
a solution.
Don’ts
• Ignore the Negative Reviews: When it comes to
addressing negative reviews, they simply cannot
be ignored. Not responding to a negative review is
a response in itself and it tells everyone who comes
across the review that you don’t care about your
customers’ feedback or experiences with your busi-
The way you respond to bad online reviews builds trust with both current
and future custom
10 ICM/July/August 2019