You can’t please all the people, all the time. That life lesson applies to your business too, because no matter how hard you work, one slip-up can lead to a bad review online. But guess what? It’s not the end of the world.
Read that negative review one more time. Kind of stings. Kind of feels personal no matter how much you tell yourself it’s just business. You put a lot of hard work into doing things right and then someone hits you right where it hurts. But here is the good news. This negative review that has you balling your fists in rage isn’t all that bad, as long as it’s not a common theme on your review sites.
The Silver Lining of Bad Reviews
You don’t want to see a slew of them pile up because that is not good, and a sign that maybe you need to look at what you’re doing as a company, but one or two bad reviews won’t sink your ship.
A few negative reviews actually add credibility to your profile because it shows that your page isn’t just spammed with phony, glowing reviews. That means that a few negative reviews can actually have a positive effect on your business because they make you look real in consumers’ eyes.
A bad review also gives potential customers a frame of reference for what you offer. Most discerning people know that no product or service is perfect, so a few bad reviews help set expectations for their experience. This is helpful because when the next person engages with your product or service, that less-than-stellar review will help them understand what they’re getting into. Because if all you have is glorious praise, and the person that considers these reviews gets anything less than absolute perfection, they’re going to be quite upset. That’s why it’s better to have a page with reviews that provide a realistic snap shot of what to people can expect from your company.
In fact, a recent survey by Dimensional Research showed that 90% of respondents were influenced by positive reviews, while 86% were influenced by negative reviews. If someone had a bad experience with you that warranted a negative review, then it’s smart to address his or her complaint to show that you do care. If they took the time to write the review, chances are they’d be interested to see how you make up for it. Be sincere about it and you may turn an unhappy customer into a brand advocate.
And finally, negative reviews give you a chance to improve and learn from your mistakes because it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. So don’t hide from the negativity—embrace it and turn it into a strength. Work on improving in areas that people are complaining about. Tackle the issues head on and your business will be better for it. If you’re not sure where to start, PCG Digital Marketing can help.