Flip it – How To Turn Bad Reviews Into Loyal Customers

Happy customers are the driving force of your successful online business. However, no matter how good your product or service is, it is inevitable you will still receive some customer complaints.

Even with 1,000 positive online reviews and one unhappy customer, that person can still do a lot of damage to the way your business is perceived. If the complaint goes viral on social media, this could drive away a lot of potential customers.

Luckily, there are many ways you can turn around a bad review.

Have Patience

Make sure you calm down and clear your emotions before responding to a negative review. If you respond while you feel emotional, things will likely get ugly. You don’t want to fan the flames or look like a raving lunatic in the comments.

Take a few deep breaths and make sure you are calm. Be open to the possibility that you or your company may have made a genuine mistake. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the customer. Once you feel composed, you can leave a fair and balanced reply.

Assess The Negative Review

Bad reviews will happen. Before responding, you can ask yourself a few simple questions. Did you earn a bad review? If so, what steps you can take to rectify it and make sure this never happens again. Are you splitting hairs? If you got a 2-star review and you feel like you deserved a 3-star review, you might just have to let it go.

Behavioral segmentation will help you to realize that customers behave differently according to type. Remember, some people will complain no matter what you do. They will try to tear you down for something completely absurd and will respond to all your nice comments with an attack. In this case, it may be better just to walk away.

React Promptly

You want to make sure you are calm before replying. However, you also want to write a reply promptly. Research has shown that people contacting companies on social media expect a response within an hour.

Don’t make the customer wait. They are likely to become more frustrated and feel like you don’t care about their problem. Being prompt helps you to look more professional and gives the impression that you are actually concerned. Make sure you monitor your review sites and social media accounts every day. If you cannot manage this alone, consider hiring someone to manage these platforms and any customer queries.

Know When To Apologize

The tone of your response is vital. You want to be compassionate. Try to avoid coming across as sarcastic or arrogant. Do not argue with the customer or prove that they are wrong about the issue.

Admit the problem, thank them for letting you know about it, and then offer an apology. If you try to say it wasn’t your company’s fault, it will just look like you are trying to avoid taking responsibility.

Show that you understand the customer’s situation. If you respond in a friendly manner that makes them feel understood, they are likely to give you another chance. It will also look good to other customers on your social media feed.

Rectify The Problem

Saying that you understand the issue is a start, but this isn’t going to bring customer satisfaction. Make sure you do everything you can to rectify the situation. In some cases, what you have to do will be immediately apparent. If a product is defective, you simply send them a replacement and maybe give them some store credit with your company for the inconvenience.

You could also ask the customer what they would like you to do. This can show that you genuinely value their opinion. It will make them feel included.

When the issue is resolved, let the customer know publicly. This will mean everyone on your social media channel can see that you have excellent customer service. This is a way to actually profit from the negative review.

Learn From Your Mistakes

If you screwed up or didn’t reach your usual high standards, use it as an opportunity to grow. Take steps to make sure it doesn’t happen again. If you think it might help, let the customer know what changes you have made. Make sure they know that you will welcome them back with open arms.

Make Extra Effort

Review sites and social media platforms are a great way to attract new customers. However, it’s not enough to provide great content and resolve complaints. If you want loyal customers, you must keep open channels of communication. Making the extra effort will always pay off.

After you have resolved their issue, follow up with them. Ask if everything is okay. You could even surprise them with a coupon or a gesture of kindness. They will appreciate it more than you may know.

Chat with them, ask them questions. Respond to all of your customers’ comments, including the positive ones. If you receive a compliment or positive review, say thank you. If somebody asks a question, give them a helpful answer.

Staying actively connected with customers is a great way to make sure they keep coming back. Keeping them actively engaged will make sure you build a loyal customer base.

In Summary

It can be difficult to read negative reviews and comments, but they are impossible to avoid. Instead of seeing it as a disaster, look at it as an opportunity to improve. You can use a negative review as a chance to show that you offer excellent customer service. If you are prompt, polite, and resolve the issue, everybody who reads the channel will see this.

Make sure you write a well-crafted response. Show that you understand the customer’s frustrations. Solve their problem, and then be sure to follow up with them afterward. Keep the communication alive after the complaint and surprise them with a kind gesture. If you follow all of these tips, there is a good chance that you will turn a bad review into a loyal customer.

Drew Mann

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