What is the best way to respond to reviews?

Responding to customer reviews is an extremely important part of establishing a positive and long-lasting relationship. Taking care of building a relationship with the consumer is based on interest and the desire to meet their expectations. It is worth creating a strategy based on preparing scenarios, containing practical answers to specific situations. The most effective way to build a positive image in the network is to prevent unpleasant situations. Nevertheless, there is no denying that mistakes happen to everyone. Even the best company may receive a negative opinion for a minor oversight or, conversely, for unfounded slander. In both cases, it is important to react properly, which often influences the customer’s decision to use the company’s services or products again.

Why do reviews have such a strong impact on the business image?

94% of consumers claim that a bad review convinced them to give up services or products of a given company

53.3% of customers expect a business to respond to a negative review within a week

63% state that a business has never responded to their review

44.6% of consumers declare that they are more likely to use services of a company which responds to reviews

The presented statistics confirm that care in responding to comments and quick responses can keep a customer with a given company. Moreover, it is the reviews which are responsible for inspiring trust in a potential customer during the first contact with a particular brand. Company with positive reviews on the Internet will always achieve the highest profits, leaving the competition far behind. Even the highest quality services or products need confirmation of their value, which can be found in the reviews left by other users. This is how trust is born and it is the foundation of attracting and keeping a customer. So let’s consider how to properly manage the emerging feedback – both negative, neutral and positive.

Negative reviews

Responding to negative comments is not a pleasant task, but it must be done as soon as possible. A dissatisfied customer wants to express his frustration and seeks compensation. An opinion left without any comment exposes even more strongly the lack of interest in the customer and his needs. You should avoid such situations like the plague, because they put the company in a very negative light, not only in the eyes of dissatisfied customers. People who planned to use the services or products of criticized company in the future may gain some anxiety. Professional response prevents the formation of prejudice against the brand among future customers, while retaining the existing ones. It is worth applying a few tricks which will allow you to create the best content for a response to negative reviews.

• Address the response appropriately – address it directly to the specific recipient, try to approach each person individually and avoid generalizations. By addressing the customer directly, you will make them feel singled out and their feedback will be discussed individually. 
• Thank them for sharing their opinion – show your customers that you value their opinion and accept their feedback to improve your service.
• Apologize – show that your company truly regrets the customer’s dissatisfaction. Show concern and interest in their needs. In situations where reviews have been issued because of actual oversights, don’t be afraid to admit fault. By treating each customer with empathy and understanding, you will inspire trust among future buyers. 
• Try to offer compensation – the customer will surely forgive faster if you offer some compensation. Reassure them that the company will do everything it can to make sure the situation never happens again. Don’t just run away from responsibility because sooner or later you will suffer the consequences of not resolving the issue.

Never ignore an unresolved issue. Try to find solutions to reach an amicable agreement. Strive to resolve every situation in a culturally sensitive and tactful manner. Never get carried away when responding to negative feedback about the company. By resolving all negative situations on an ongoing basis, you will avoid losing customers and negative perceptions of your business.

Positive reviews

Approving feedback always has a positive effect on the company’s image in the eyes of customers. It attracts attention and increases the popularity of business. Do you wonder why it is worth responding, also to positive reviews? Well, there is no better way to highlight customer satisfaction. By responding to positive feedback you can emphasize your commitment to the final customer satisfaction. Emphasize your excitement about getting positive reviews and satisfying the customer. Do you wonder how best to respond to positive reviews? Follow a few simple steps!

• Say thank you – despite being very satisfied, the customer decided to take a moment of their precious time to write a few nice words about your business, so appreciate it and express your true gratitude. A positive review is an irrefutable proof, confirming the quality of your services. It’s really worth taking care of customers who express their satisfaction.
  
  
• Reinforce the positive – expand on the customer’s statement by talking about the process of trying to satisfy them. Highlighting the actions taken to satisfy the customer emphasizes the commitment and quality of products or services offered by the company.
  
  
• Encourage customers to use your services again – make your customers see your business as trustworthy and want to use your services or products more than once. 
  
  
• Post positive reviews on social media and your company’s website – the more people read positive reviews, the more of them will decide to use your offer. It is important that people who are potentially interested in your services see that your business is talked about often and, most importantly, well. You can share positive reviews on your site, among others, using special widgets.

Neutral reviews

Neutral reviews usually intermingle positives with negatives. It’s worth making every effort to highlight the positives that have been described and to reinforce the best. Generally, neutral reviews do not contain many details and are relatively laconic. Encourage the customer to elaborate on the feedback and reassure them that you are there to help. Always try to respond to neutral reviews in a way that makes them appear positive in the eyes of other customers. Apologize for any negatives in the feedback and do your best to explain the circumstances. Encourage them to use your services again, saying that you will do your best to make them satisfied. Offer to contact you directly to clarify any issues to demonstrate your concern for customer satisfaction.

Encourage customer reviews

Customer reviews add credibility to your business and inspire trust, which is a key factor in attracting new customers. Ask customers who have shopped at or used your business to give you a review to let you know what their impressions are. The benefits of feedback are not limited only to increasing trust among future customers and building a positive brand image. Feedback also makes it possible to introduce appropriate actions aimed at improving customer service and all activities related to the pursuit of final customer satisfaction. Manage and respond to reviews in a thoughtful and carefully planned manner. You will gain in the customers’ eyes and achieve even greater success!