No matter how much hard work you pour into pleasing your customers, it’s still going to happen. And as frustrating as it might be, you have to deal with it.
Why? Because reputation management is a critical component of any successful digital marketing strategy. If you want to show prospective customers how great your customer service is, you need to respond to negative reviews—not just positive ones.
You might think it’s over once you read your first one-star review, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In reality, negative reviews provide a valuable opportunity to build your reputation. Studies show that responding to negative reviews can have a positive impact on your business. After all, if you only have five-star reviews, customers are going to start getting suspicious. Everyone knows that local businesses make mistakes, and a few negative reviews are inevitable.
It’s your job to respond to those negative reviews in the most professional way possible. At the end of the day, how you respond to negative Google reviews shows all your customers—old, new, and potential—how much you value their opinion and how hard you’re working to improve your business.
Most businesses don’t respond to negative reviews, and that’s a huge mistake. A negative review can be detrimental to your online reputation, but failing to respond can make the situation worse than it already is.
Think of online reviews as the digital form of word-of-mouth advertising. Prospective customers are going to research your company (and your competition) before making a decision. They’re going to scroll through your Facebook page, check out your website, and read your Google reviews. Once they realize you’re not taking any action to make things right for dissatisfied customers, they’re going to move on to the next company.
According to a study from Power Reviews, more than 99.9 percent of consumers read reviews when shopping online at least sometimes. And more than 98 percent of consumers think that online reviews are essential resources for making purchasing decisions. That’s great when all your reviews are positive—but it’s not the end of the world if you have a few one-star reviews.
According to another study, 44 percent of business owners reported that they had successfully turned a negative review into a positive one. Responding to negative reviews doesn’t just highlight how great your customer service is—it’s a real opportunity for fundamental change.
When you work with customers to convert a negative review into a positive one, you’ll earn their trust and loyalty. At the same time, when you address criticism at an operational level, you can actually improve your business as a whole. And if you’re still not convinced, online reviews—both positive and negative—are good for SEO. That means more leads, more conversions, and more sales.
If you’re new to reputation management, responding to negative Google reviews might be as simple as following a reference guide. But how do you respond to a negative review that isn’t completely accurate? Or a one-word review that just says “scam”?
Before you start typing out a response, consider what type of review you’re dealing with. In general, negative reviews can be broken down into three categories:
Then, take a step back. Remind yourself that your response shouldn’t be your immediate reaction. It’s all about responding thoughtfully and listening with the intent to understand.
So, how do you write a professional, thoughtful, and understanding response? Always start with “Thank you for your feedback.” You might try explaining your thought process, especially if a customer is blatantly lying, but avoid giving in and arguing with a dissatisfied customer. If necessary in certain situations, consider inviting the customer to continue the conversation with you offline, either over the phone or through a direct message—but more on that later.
While there are polite, professional ways to defend yourself against exaggerations, remember that you’re trying to appeal to prospective customers. Think about your target audience and how prospective customers are actually reading negative reviews, and you’ll quickly realize that a few one-star reviews aren’t the end of the world.
Most of the time, people aren’t going to read every negative review from beginning to end. Instead, they’re going to scan the review and look at your response. So, that 500-word essay on how poorly you installed someone’s new heating system probably won’t have the reputation-ruining impact you think it will—as long as you respond the right way.
Negative reviews happen, but your responses are what really matters. After all, every single customer interaction counts, even the ones that happen after the sale. You want upset customers to feel heard, valued, and appreciated. That’s why you need to take extra care in wording every reply and crafting an effective reputation management strategy.
Here’s how to respond to negative reviews without sacrificing your online reputation.
Time is money. Our clients wear many hats, from managing day-to-day operations and servicing clients to marketing. Even though you’re never sitting still, those bad reviews on Google should be more than an afterthought.
In fact, handling negative reviews should be a top priority. When you notice a negative review on Google, take some time to read it and put together an action plan. If you’re going to be running around all day, you might send a temporary response to let the customer know you’ve seen their review.
Remember: The longer you wait to respond, the angrier they’re going to get. And the less likely they’re going to trust you or pick up the phone when you reach out to resolve the issue. If the customer felt unhappy enough to leave a review, you need to seriously respond to that feedback. Don’t wait longer than 24–48 hours from the time they posted the review.
In the long run, you might craft a process to reference when managing negative reviews. This way, you’ll be able to educate your sales reps on how to handle the situation as soon as it arises.
You’ve worked hard and sacrificed countless hours to build your business from the ground up. It’s only natural to feel attacked by a negative Google review. Sometimes, a negative review can put a dent in the online reputation you’ve worked tirelessly to build. It might feel like all the five-star ratings you’ve collected don’t matter anymore.
No matter how disheartening it feels, remind yourself that you’re running a business. Not every customer is going to be completely satisfied, and that’s just a normal part of business ownership. Don’t let your emotions leave an even bigger dent in your online reputation. Instead, read negative reviews objectively, and always acknowledge the customer’s bad experience in your response.
By showing customers that you’re willing to see things from their perspective, you’ll take the first step in changing their perception of your brand. It’s perfectly fine to admit when your company makes a mistake—as long as you explain the actions you’re taking to make things right.
Acknowledging the customer’s complaint is also a great display of your company’s ethics to prospective customers. You’re giving them a glimpse into your company’s personality, showing them that you’re down to earth and willing to admit your mistakes.
You’ve acknowledged the customer’s complaint. Now, it’s time to take the high road and apologize for your mistake. No matter how tempting it might be to argue with your customer, apologizing can make all the difference in your company’s reputation.
When you apologize for your mistakes, you’re showing that you care about your customers. Believe it or not, apologizing is a great opportunity to strengthen trust between your brand and the dissatisfied customer. At the same time, you’re showing prospective customers that you’re not too proud to own up to your mistakes. After all, prospects can get turned off by businesses that are too perfect or too proud to apologize.
You want to keep it sincere and professional, so keep your apology short and sweet. Here’s an example of how you might frame your response:
“Thank you for your feedback. We apologize that your experience was not satisfactory, but I appreciate you bringing the issue to our attention. We aim to provide exceptional customer service for every customer. Your satisfaction is important to us, and we will do everything possible to make sure this does not happen again.”
Obviously, your apology will vary from situation to situation, but the above template is a great starting point for crafting your response.
When responding to negative Google reviews, avoid cookie-cutter responses that don’t address any specific issues. Instead, include details about the customer’s experience (when relevant), and communicate any changes you’re making to prevent future issues.
The last thing a dissatisfied customer wants to hear is an excuse for your mistakes. Even if the customer is exaggerating the issue or the issue wasn’t your fault, you need to take the moral high ground. Instead of getting defensive, take a customer-centric approach and accept responsibility.
To strengthen your reputation, use this as an opportunity to reinforce your brand’s high quality standards. Tell the customer how much you appreciate their feedback. Then, let them know that you’re willing to hear them out to make sure the same issue doesn’t happen again.
Online reviews are just about as public as they can be. And when it comes to reputation management, this can be a double-edged sword. Responding to negative reviews is necessary, but it’s always best to reach out to your customer to talk privately about their issue. This way, you’re saving yourself from any further embarrassment.
To encourage customers to reach out to you, provide your contact information in your response. This way, you’re showing the customer that their negative experience is important to you, and you’re willing to make things right. You might say something like:
“We would like the opportunity to investigate your issue further. Feel free to contact me directly at [email address] or [phone number]. We’ll work with you to resolve any issues as quickly as possible.”
Alternatively, depending on the customer’s preferences, you might contact them on another platform to continue the conversation. For example, if you have a customer chat feature on your home services website, you can ask them to file a direct complaint.
No matter how you’re continuing the conversation, figure out how you can make things right. Offer a partial refund or future discount if the customer deserves it, or consider offering a free service to make up for the last one. Your goal is to pinpoint the root cause of their dissatisfaction so you can take action to turn things around. Sometimes, a dissatisfied customer will even take down their negative review (or, better yet, turn the review into a positive one).
According to BrightLocal, 89 percent of customers read business responses to online reviews. You need to respond to negative reviews to make things right and own up to your mistakes, but what about positive reviews?
The answer is yes—you should be responding to positive reviews, too. It not only shows customers how much you value their business, but it also shows prospects how you’ll treat them. You want to show prospective customers that you’re grateful for their business and that you value feedback.
Basically, replying to positive reviews is a simple step that can give you a huge advantage over the competition. It can make all the difference in your marketing strategy by:
Of course, before you start replying to positive feedback, you’ll need to collect some Google reviews. So, what are you waiting for? Build an amazing review portfolio with our home service online review guide.
Even though negative Google reviews might feel like personal attacks, taking a step back and managing your online reputation with professionalism can make all the difference. When managed properly, negative reviews are just marketing collateral. Focus on giving smart, engaging responses so you can start converting more review readers into paying customers.
If you’re not sure how to take the first step or you’re struggling to craft the perfect response to a negative review, we’re here to help. Contact us today to take your reputation management strategy to the next level and win the trust of prospective customers.
