6 Tips for Responding to Negative Reviews

It’s discouraging when you get a negative review.  You and your team work hard to try and please every customer, and you are especially proud of your product or service.  If anything, you can use the feedback from the review to see where you can improve in systems, communication, service delivery or product quality.  

Responding to the review in a timely and authentic way can help recover your reputation with that particular customer, and your public response shows other viewers you sincerely care. In fact, 78 percent of consumers believe a business cares more when management responds to reviews.  

Here’s our top 6 tips to respond to negative reviews.  

Top 6 Tips for Responding to Negative Reviews 

1. Always start with an apology, even if you disagree with their statements, and thank them for taking the time to share their experience or thoughts.

2. Repeat or recognize what they are stating happened so they gather that you fully understand where they are coming from.  

3. Never offer an excuse, but instead, a short explanation is helpful if you think it’s appropriate.  

4. Let them know what you will be doing to ensure the situation is addressed and won’t continue to happen.

5. Let them know what next step(s) you will take or offer the email address of someone on your team with whom they can follow up to discuss the situation more, if they feel the need.

6. End with another thank you and apology.  Note: it’s important not to continue to engage the conversation online within the review.  Always offer to take it offline after you’ve initially responded.  

If you need help crafting a negative review response template or you’d like an expert from our team to offer feedback on your current template or help with a recent negative review you received, contact us today.