Reviews are a HUGE playing factor in users’ decisions nowadays. So are fake reviews, unfortunately.
Every business has had its trial and errors. You may have found that certain things did not please customers, and found better ways to better assist them as your clients.
Negative reviews can be a hard pill to swallow sometimes, but let me tell you, it’s all in your reply. Your reply will influence the buyer more than the negative review would’ve if you choose to answer the right way.
So how do you deal with bad reviews? Even if they are fake? Here are five must-follow rules:
You MUST reply
One bad review matters A LOT more than ten good reviews. You must ALWAYS respond to the review. No matter how hard it is for you to accept the comment you got, and no matter how unfair it may be. By not replying, you are not replying to potential customers reading the bad review. They want to know what you have to say to that. Not replying means that you are accepting the bad review, and gives off the impression that you don’t care.
Always apologize & offer a solution
You have two choices.
a) You reply with maturity and willingness to provide a solution, or
b) You tell them that they are wrong, and you did not do anything.
Other users will always put more trust on other customers, instead of your business. They want to know the real deal, and if you are known for arguing or fighting with users (no matter how right you are), they will move on to another business who doesn’t seem like it will give them a headache.
Did you know that a 4.5 rating is, in fact, more preferred than a perfect 5-star average rating? Why? Because people know that everyone makes mistakes. They want to see that you are willing, and flexible to fix any issue they may have. Even if you are right and the review is unfair, always apologize.
Make the rules clear
Your review section is just as important as your headlines on your website. People reading your reviews are people who are considering becoming a client. So don’t think of it as replying to the bad reviewer, think of a conversation with all your potential clients.
State the facts of your business’ policies. If your business provides full refunds, then state “Our business provides full refunds for all broken pieces” If this is a fake review, then you are simply stating facts. If your business guarantees warranty, then state that. Whether the review is fake or not, this policy still stands, so throw in some powerful marketing for your business. Talk to the potential customer, not the unfair reviewer.
Never get personal online
Avoid using words such as “you,” or “we’ve told you before”, or “your contract said…” DO NOT get personal in front of everyone. After your amazing, powerful, marketing, solution-focused reply, leave your email and phone number and ask them to please contact you so that you may fix this issue right away.
Getting personal leaves off an unprofessional taste, and it will drive every potential customer away. Nobody wants to see an argument online; they want to see how professional and willing you are to fix anything that may have gone wrong.
Keep it simple, general and sweet
Don’t write them two paragraphs to tell them how amazing you are and how wrong they are. The most effective replies state the rules as a business that you stand by and the contact information to reach a solution.
By writing a long reply, with specific details about this issue, you are showing that you feel guilty and do not want to accept their complaint. This is just a reply full of excuses to a third user.
With fake/spam reviews:
If you are noticing someone is spamming your business with a ton of fake reviews, you may be able to get Google to remove them. This is quite a lengthy process, and sometimes they do not get removed.
To report these, you need to flag the review as “inappropriate” and later contact Google’s support.
Make an effort to avoid any bad reviews. I know, it takes a lot of patience and hard work, but try your best to follow up with your customers to ensure satisfaction. You may never know that someone left unhappy. Offering a survey for your customer service may also be a solution. People don’t usually leave two bad reviews, so this can be a great way to avoid them going public, and giving your business the opportunity to fix them in private.
Have you dealt with negative/fake reviews? Did you find another method of dealing with them effectively? Let us know! Feel free to comment down below.
