When a customer leaves a negative review on an organization's official page, most organizations see it as a “risk to the brand image” and try to delete or hide it right away. Some even leave it without any reply. This can have negative consequences, such as losing that customer for good and having them advise others not to choose you.
Instead, respond to negative reviews following the 4 tips below, and use them as a way to show that customer and others that “We listen to our customers, solve the problems they face, and continuously improve our products and services.”
- Respond as quickly as possible
Most customers want a very fast response to their feedback. According to Review Tracker research, customers expect companies to respond to this type of review within 7 days at most. HubSpot recommends responding within 48 hours.
When replying to customers, it's better to write a fresh response rather than copy and paste a pre-written text. Every person's problem is unique, and the action needed can't be the same for everyone. You can start by greeting the customer by name.
- Ask the customer to explain the issue in more detail
In some cases, customers may leave a bad rating due to a misunderstanding, mismatched expectations, or a personal disagreement rather than dissatisfaction with the service itself. Clarifying this makes it easier to decide whether to “focus on the information you give customers,” “improve your products and services,” or “address your specialists' communication issues.”
- If a review mixes positive and negative messages, focus more on the positive sentiment.
If a customer gives your product or service 1 star but writes something like “Your service is really great, I truly love it. But…” in a mixed, sandwich-style review, thank them for the positive feedback in your reply and apologize for the mistake. In some cases, offer incentives such as compensating the customer for their loss or a discount on their next purchase.
- Let them know the issue has been fixed, or when it will be
Organizations retain their customers only by growing steadily. By learning from mistakes and fixing them, they keep growing and expanding every day. When a customer reaches out and expresses negative feelings, ultimately it's because they want you to “fix the problem.” So when replying to the review, end your response with something like: “We have added a fix for this issue to next month's plan. We will notify you once it has been resolved. We apologize for the inconvenience.” Of course, fixing the issue within the promised timeframe and notifying the customer will help build an image of “a responsible company that listens to its customers.”
