Why do customers read negative company opinions first?

Negative opinions, comments or reviews are common for every brand, especially when it is already recognizable on the market and its products or services are used by many customers. Moreover, consumers even look for unflattering opinions about a given company to see how much they are risking. Find out how to gain new clients even if you don’t have a crystal clear rating.

Why do customers filter opinions from the lowest rating?

It’s very simple. Negative comments (especially extensive ones) show a potential customer what can happen. After all, no one wants to expose themselves to unnecessary problems or loss of time and money. Today’s consumers are aware and prefer to check earlier rather than regret later. To minimize the risk of disappointment, they read negative reviews. Such reviews contain a description of specific situation, sometimes it is about bad service, too long delivery time, problems with complaints or returns, and in some cases about the product or service. Customers can complain about everything, so for a person who is going to use the offer of a given company for the first time, negative opinions are a source of knowledge.

Is negative opinion always bad?

You can’t see criticism as a deterrent to customers. The longer you’ve been in business, the more likely a negative review is. What’s more, negative opinions confirm the credibility of your company. Consumers are wary of brands that have five stars on GoogleMaps or other sites. When you have a lot of only positive opinions, there is a warning light in a potential customer’s head and they begin to wonder if you are sometimes manipulating the ratings. On the other hand, when you have few opinions and their average is five, consumers will still be apprehensive about taking your offer. In their eyes, you look like a small entrepreneur who is just starting out. If you offer relatively expensive products, they may decide not to buy. Therefore, your goal should not be to achieve the maximum rating, but rather to maintain a score between 4.5 – 4.8 stars.

How to deal with negative comments online?

As most consumers read opinions about a company, starting with the negative ones, it is worth responding to them. In fact, it depends on your reaction whether you don’t lose potential customers who read a bad review after all. Perhaps your first thought will be to delete such a comment and in fact, as the administrator of Google My Company business profile or accounts on other portals, you can, of course, submit a request for deleting the opinion, but remember that it will not always be granted. Only comments that violate the terms of service or when you can prove that they are false will be deleted. It can also take some time before a comment is deleted and someone may have noticed it.

Therefore, focus on an appropriate response that will prevent possible reputation damage. What should you do if a customer writes an unflattering review? Well, first of all, take a deep breath (or even several) and stay calm. Then apologize for the situation. Yes, that’s right – this way you show from the very beginning that you care about your client’s well-being. Thank him for the information and offer a solution. It is best to take the conversation over the phone or via e-mail, especially if you plan to offer a discount or other form of compensation. Then you can be sure that you won’t face an avalanche of unflattering comments from people who just want to take advantage of the discount.

Why opinion management is so important?

Over 90% of consumers read reviews about a company before using its products or services. Make sure that in your case they are convincing to use the offer. Did you know that companies present in at least three review sites earn 36% more? Therefore, show up where there is a high probability of contact with a new customer. Remember, negative comments don’t just show up on Google maps or opinion sites. A dissatisfied customer can also share their opinion on social media. However, the most important thing is to develop a strategy for responding in such situations. Don’t take shortcuts and don’t copy the answers every time. An individual approach to each customer is the basis to alleviate any situations that are a potential source of an image crisis.