When bad can be good 🤔

Published: Thu, 05/02/24

Updated: Sat, 05/04/24

Hi there friend,

I’ve never been a small business owner, but I did work for one. I was her executive assistant, her right hand woman, and I helped her with pretty much everything from product photography and order fulfillment, to social media and email marketing.

It was just the two of us, and we both worked hard to keep her clothing boutique running smoothly. Which is why it felt like such a gut punch to see a customer leave a negative review. I remember how my stomach sank and my face got hot. When I went home, I ate an entire pint of rocky road ice cream (felt appropriate 🤣 🫠).

To (loosely) quote the great Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged that a business in operation must be in receipt of negative reviews, or, in other less Regency era words, there really is no avoiding negative reviews when you are a business owner.

You can’t please everyone. Stuff happens. Circumstances will arise that are beyond your control. Mistakes will definitely be made by you or your employees–we are only human after all. Whether you are a seasoned business owner or just getting started, you need to have your strategy in place for dealing with negative reviews.

While it’s tempting to ignore negative feedback, eat some ice cream, and move on with your day-to-day, especially if it seems unfair or unnecessarily rude, data shows that people are 41% more likely to do business with companies that respond to all of their reviews, positive and negative.

So, what is the best way to handle negative reviews? Crafting the right response can be the difference between winning a customer back or gaining a forever detractor, so we’ve compiled a list of current best practices that will help you put your best foot forward.

Be fast (not furious) 🚘

The phrase, “It’s not personal, it’s just business,” has been attributed to 1930’s mob accountant, Otto Berman, then was widely popularized by The Godfather in the 1970’s. It’s interesting that, despite its shady mob origins, plenty of business people still use the phrase today to justify decisions and behaviors.

The truth is, business is personal, which is why it’s so easy to feel attacked and angered by negative reviews, and why customers who have a negative experience with a business can be so impassioned in their reviews.

So, when you do get a negative review, pause, work through any hurt or devastation you may feel and do your best not to internalize it, then get to work.

Responding quickly and calmly to negative reviews will show that you take customer feedback seriously.

Super Stat: People want quick responses to negative feedback. 33% expect a response in 3 days and 53% expect a response in 1 week.

Source

Have an attitude of gratitude 🙏

Start by thanking the reviewer for their feedback. I know this can be difficult, especially if the review is particularly harsh, but keep in mind that negative reviews can help you identify areas of growth and improvement.

Here are some examples:

[Reviewer's Name], thank you for sharing your feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to bring this to our attention.

Hi [Reviewer's Name], thank you for sharing your thoughts with us. We value your feedback and are grateful for the opportunity to improve.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention [Reviewer's Name]. Your insights are valuable as we strive to enhance our services.

Recognize, empathize, apologize ❤️‍🩹

Next, show that you understand and empathize with their experience and apologize. Admitting your mistakes and showing compassion will help humanize your brand, and help restore respect and support for your business.

For example:

We understand how [specific issue] can be frustrating. We're here to help resolve this matter for you.

Hi [Reviewer's Name], we're truly sorry to hear about your experience. Your feedback is invaluable to us, and we're dedicated to making things right.

We’re sorry you had a bad experience and assure you that we're taking steps to prevent similar issues in the future.

Love this example shared by a customer about how a CEO handled his negative review:

LinkedIn post by Tiger Joseph about how the CEO of Video Builders addressed his negative feedback.

Offer a clear path to resolution and follow through 💪

To resolve their issue, you might need to take communication off the platform (Instagram, FB, X (Twitter)) so that you can gather details, investigate, and offer a solution.

Here are some examples of how you can take the conversation off the platform:

[Reviewer's Name], we apologize for your experience and are committed to resolving this issue. Please reach out to [email/phone] so we can address your concerns personally.

Hi [Reviewer's Name], we understand your frustration and want to make things right. Please contact [Team Member's Name] at [email/phone] so we can address your concerns promptly.

Can you please provide more details with our (title) about your experience so we can address your concerns more effectively? Please reach out to [Team Member's Name] at [email/phone] for further assistance with this matter.

In many cases, writing an apology email is the best way to address a problem. Other times, you may need to demonstrate your sincerity with compensation or proof that their feedback helped make changes to the way you do things.

Check out this incredible bad-review-turned-good-review example from ZeroBounce:

Review of ZeroBounce by a customer who had a good experience with how customer service handled their complaint.

Close with appreciation and accountability 💖

End your response on a positive note by showing appreciation and taking accountability for the customer’s poor experience.

Here are some examples of how to demonstrate appreciation and accountability:

Providing excellent service is a top priority for our team. We appreciate your patience as we investigate this issue.

We're committed to providing a 5-star customer experience and appreciate your feedback in helping us achieve that goal.

Thank you for your continued support and feedback. We're committed to earning back your trust and confidence.

Now, back to my story from the beginning of this email: When I got back to work the next day, my boss had decided how to handle the negative feedback. She was determined to turn the situation around, to do what she could to make things right.

We wrote up a response and offered several solutions, one of which resonated with the customer and actually made her day. The customer who was furious before was now delighted because we quickly, calmly, and compassionately approached her negative experience and put in the effort to resolve the issue.

Regardless of your industry or company size, responding professionally to all your reviews (negative and positive) can improve your product, customer experience, and overall profits.

In so many ways, it is a crazy time to be a business owner, and people can be ruthless, particularly on social media, so when you find yourself on the receiving end of searing negative feedback, do your best to remember that you are in good company.

When in doubt, err on the side of compassion, and you won’t go wrong.

Want to read more about handling negative reviews? Read our full blog post.

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