Best practices for addressing online reviews

Whomever said "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" likely did not own or operate a small business, at least not in the era of online reviews.

At some point, most consumers have made a decision to engage with a business or service provider based on online customer reviews. According to the Harvard Business Review, around 90% of consumers read reviews online. That's a lot of influence.

Online reviews are a double-edged sword. When a review is both genuine and positive, it can influence credibility and steer new customers to a small business. However, negative reviews can be damaging to businesses both small and large, and are especially frustrating when they reflect a difference of opinion between the author and the business.

Some business owners share that managing customer relationships in real life feels more intuitive than handling those of the digital sort, because navigating face-to-face human interaction is a familiar skill for most adults of employable age. We might not all be good at it, but most people understand the basics. Online reviews can seem more challenging, especially when one considers the multitude of platforms from which an online review might arise. Yelp, Google, TripAdvisor, Facebook, Instagram — the list goes on. Every single one of these platforms has its own unique dynamic for interacting with customers.

So what's a business owner to do?
First and foremost, remain professional. Although a customer's post may have you seeing red, responding venomously never looks good to an uninformed reader. After all, the reader doesn't have all the details of the situation. Instead, try to respond to every post, and do so in a timely manner. It is fine to take a moment to collect your thoughts, but recognize that the longer you wait, the more opportunity there is for another customer to see the standalone negative review.

Either way, always respond, per the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It shows that every customer truly matters.

In some cases, it may be best to tactfully ask the author of a negative post to discuss their concerns offline, whether via email, phone or in-person. This prevents a negative thread from taking up too much space on your business's review page, and reduces the chance that it will distract other customers from reading the remainder of your reviews. Business owners can also request removal of blatantly fake or misleading posts, for example, those that may have been made by a less-than-scrupulous competitor.

A common misconception is that businesses don't need to — or shouldn't — respond to positive reviews. In an era of sponsored posts and product placement, consumers are more savvy than ever when it comes to sniffing out paid content. Respond with a simple "thank you" to acknowledge the post. It may prove beneficial to delay the response, lest it appear you knew the review was coming.

Business reviews come in all flavors; positive, negative and in-between. Industry experts generally encourage small businesses to not fear negative reviews, because they can lead to growth and improvement of a product or service delivery. Instead, see negative reviews as an opportunity to engage with a customer and either repair or strengthen the relationship. As it's been said, it's not the situation that matters, but rather your response.

For more small business advice, don't hesitate to contact The Law Offices of Donald Hudspeth, P.C.

Categorised in: Starting a Business in Arizona

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