A lot of times, we have unsatisfied and disgruntled customers dropping negative reviews on our websites, social media profiles and review websites. While it may seem that instantly deleting these reviews is a good idea, it might be counterproductive. If you have a really disgruntled customer leave a negative review about your business and they find out that you deleted it, it will only aggravate them further and make them go looking for more mediums to criticize you. Negative reviews can actually help your business not harm it. Here are some reasons why leaving those negative comments and criticism might be a good idea.
- You get valid feedback: Having negative feedbacks about your product or services is like getting the services of a focus group without having to pay for it. Believe it or not, there are many valid points in the criticism customers leave for you. A lot of ‘know it all’ customers might also drop really reasonable points or suggestions in their criticism that you can really use by looking for ways to integrate it into your business. Feedbacks help you know where your customers think you are not getting it right, how they feel you can better serve them. Taking note of these feedbacks will not only improve your business, it will also improve your relationship with your customers.
- It’s a chance to change their minds: A customer can as well silently vow never to do business with your company again, but they didn’t. But dropping a criticism is their way of telling you to make them come again. They didn’t trash your business to their friends and family, instead, they are giving you a chance to make it better. Rather than deleting the comments, take a good look at what they have to say. Apologize for the problem and promise to do better next time. Businesses get better when they respond well to customers’ problems and make an honest attempt to correct them.
- It gives you credibility: I once read somewhere that “if it’s too good to be true, then it’s not true.” I am very cautious of businesses with 100% positive reviews; it makes me wonder what exactly is going on behind the curtains. Even wonderful businesses with topnotch customer service attract some negative comment at some point in time because it is totally impossible to satisfy everyone no matter how hard you try. As long as you have a good dosage of positive reviews about your business, the few negative criticisms will not really hurt you; it actually creates a balance and can make some customers feel comfortable about buying from you, especially when they see how well you responded.
- It speaks well of your customer service: So you sell a once in a long time type of product, like a tuxedo. How many tuxedos can a man have right? Most men have had just one for over 5 years which they wear to dinner events so who cares if they are angry, right? Wrong. They might not come back for another one in 10 years, but someone else might need one tomorrow. What if in their search for a good tux, that someone stumbled upon the page where you took your time to vilify the customer that had the guts to criticize your business. By positively responding to criticisms, it shows your existing customers and your prospective customers that you care about them and the lengths you will go to correct a perceived bad situation. The aggrieved party may never use your services again, but you will surely gain some new followers because of your customer services and maturity.
Truthfully though, some business reputation might have gotten completely ruined over time, due to reactive approach and wrong management that only a proactive solution can help. There are ORM Agencies that know how to bury negative search results and repair ruined reputations.
Deleting or responding negatively to your customers’ criticism can only fuel their anger and frustration. Good customer service is good for business, and good customer service involves knowing how to respond to your customers and to leave them happy. It is important to point out that some customers actually drop negative comments about your business not because they have an issue with your offering but because they want to see how you will respond; your response will serve as a basis for them to approve your reject you.
