Turn Online Complaints into Positives

Reviewing a business and its practices has never been easier through the use of social media and business review sites such as Yelp. Unfortunately, you can’t please everyone no matter how hard you try. So what should a business do when faced with a negative online review? Here are some tips to help you turn a negative into a positive.

1. Always Respond. Take the review seriously and respond back to the reviewer in a positive manner.
2. Apologize if Appropriate. If a valid complaint is made, then take the time to apologize and acknowledge their feelings. Make sure to always thank someone for their feedback.
3. Be Sincere. Respond to what the complaint was about. This way they know you took the time to really read the feedback they gave.
4. Take Note. Whether you agree with the feedback or not, take note of what’s being said. Maybe something isn’t working and needs to be reviewed or changed altogether.

The most important thing in dealing with online reviews is to make sure you respond in a timely manner, and with a positive attitude. Just leaving the complaint without responding might show you don’t care, and other customers will notice. In dealing with the negative remarks, you are proactively letting loyal customers know that you care and that their opinion matters.