How to Respond to a Negative Online Review

Feedback is incredibly valuable to y'all equally a business possessor: through it, y'all know what'southward working, what isn't, and the tweaks you can brand to meliorate efficiency. We know that customer reviews drive business organisation (or bulldoze it away), and here are the numbers to bear witness it:

• 86 percent of consumers read local business' reviews.
• The average consumer reads 10 reviews before feeling similar he or she tin trust a business concern.
• 57 percent of consumers will just utilize a concern with at least a 4-star rating.

And, the reason yous're hither:

• 89 percent of consumers pay attention to business' review responses.

The data shows that people trust reviews, and that they intendance about your responses to them. We're going to spell out everything you need to know to make your review responses the all-time they can possibly be.

Here are the topics this guide on how to respond to customer reviews volition cover:

Handling Positive Reviews

• Why You Should Respond to Positive Reviews
• How to Respond to Positive Customer Reviews [Template]
• How to Reply to Ratings-Only Positive Reviews [Template]

Handling Negative Reviews

• Why Yous Should Respond to Negative Reviews
• How to Answer to Negative Client Reviews
• How to Respond to Ratings-Only Negative Reviews [Template]
• Can a business organization sue for a bad review?
• Tin you remove a negative review?
• How exercise yous respond to a customer review without knowing the order number?

Negative Review Response Templates

• Car Dealership Template
• Construction and Maintenance Template
• Entertainment Template
• Financial Services Template
• Healthcare Facility Template
• Hotel Template
• Law Firm Template
• Non-Profit Template
• Restaurant Template
• Salon Template
• Veterinarian Template
• General Business Template

Handling Fake Reviews

• Why You Should Respond to Simulated Reviews
• How to Reply to Imitation Reviews [Template]
• How to Remove a Fake Google Review
• How to Remove a Fake Yelp Review
• How to Remove a Fake Facebook Review or Recommendation

Getting More Reviews

• How do you inquire for more positive reviews?
• Which review platform should my business focus on?

Handling Positive Reviews

Many businesses tend to focus on only responding to negative reviews, but we encourage you to retrieve differently. It is merely as of import to know how to answer to customer reviews of a positive nature.

Why Y'all Should Reply to Positive Reviews

Positive reviews come from your biggest fans, your regulars, the customers who honey your story and service and the piece of work y'all do. You exercise not want to miss out on an opportunity to interact with happy customers and thank them for their patronage. Here's why:

1. It humanizes your brand. No matter what industry y'all piece of work in, a sincere, grateful response to a positive review feels personal and authentic.
2. Information technology's an opportunity to heave SEO. When yous employ relevant keywords in your review responses, you assist increment the chances of that positive review showing up in searches.
3. Information technology shows you value every client experience. When other potential customers are reading reviews, information technology shows y'all value the experiences of every customer – whether positive or negative – and that tells them you care.

How to Respond to Positive Customer Reviews [Template]

Responding to positive reviews is much simpler than responding to negative reviews, but there are a few things you want to proceed in listen when doing and so:

• Thank your customer. Your customer took the fourth dimension to write a raving review of your concern, brand certain he or she knows how much yous appreciate information technology!
• Utilise keywords. Include your business name and some keywords like the manufacture you're in and the city where you're located to heave the review for searches.
• Include an invitation. Invite them back, to work with yous again, to bring a friend, or to join your client appreciation club if they haven't already to remind them you appreciate them and their connected business.

Proceed in mind that customers will notice if you lot simply copy and paste the aforementioned response to every positive review, which volition sound robotic and inauthentic to them. Take this template and tweak information technology as necessary in gild to respond to customer reviews:

"Hi [Customer Proper noun], the [Business Name] team is happy to hear you had such a wonderful feel! We're so glad you enjoyed [Insert What Reviewer Enjoyed]. Thank yous so much for [stopping past / your business], we really appreciate it and we hope to [serve / work with / encounter] y'all again shortly!"

How to Respond to Ratings-Only Positive Reviews [Template]

Sometimes, y'all'll have customers who don't leave whatever text feedback along with a star rating. It's notwithstanding important to answer to these, but these kinds of responses can be much shorter and to-the-signal.

Here's an instance of how to answer to customer reviews that don't include any text:

"Hi [Client Proper noun], thank you for the excellent feedback! Nosotros appreciate your concern and hope to [serve / work with / see] you again soon."

Treatment Negative Reviews

No matter the industry your business is in, information technology's important to know how to respond to negative customer reviews. They can be an excellent marketing opportunity if yous look at them the right way.

Why Yous Should Respond to Negative Reviews

While it can injure to receive a negative review, it'southward also an opportunity for you to evangelize excellent customer service and show off your business organization' values in a very real and authentic way. Here are a few reasons y'all should know how to reply to customer reviews from dissatisfied patrons:

• Ignoring a bad review will make things worse. If you don't respond, y'all only signal to potential customers that the reviewer is right, or that you don't care near serving customers well.
• Responding is an opportunity – not something to exist afraid of. Then, a customer had a bad feel. This happens to every business organization owner. Come back to it when you tin can objectively look at the feedback and answer graciously to it.
• Washed well, replying shows that you care. Nine times out of 10, customers with poor experiences want to feel heard and know that something is being done to make information technology right.

How to Answer to Negative Customer Reviews

Read on for four steps on how to reply to customer reviews from dissatisfied people, or jump to our negative review response templates for some examples you tin can use when responding to negative reviews:

1. Thank them for their feedback

Whatsoever the negative review says, this person provided you with an opportunity to improve. Here are a few things you could begin with when responding to their review:

• "Give thanks y'all for telling united states about your experience."
• "We appreciate your feedback, as nosotros're e'er looking for ways to improve our business organization."
• "Cheers then much for bringing this to our attention."

2. Apologize and sympathize

Consider the situation from your customer's position and take note of where your business went wrong. Hither are a few things you could say after thanking them for their feedback:

• "We sincerely apologize that your feel did not meet your expectations or our standards."
• "Nosotros take full responsibility for your experience and hope you take our apology."
• "Nosotros are truly sorry for your experience, and we would accept been upset if we were in your place, too."

3. Land what you are going to do to make it right

And now we come up to that opportunity nosotros mentioned earlier in this article. As the business owner, you tin can either cull to exit negative feedback be, or implement change to foreclose some other state of affairs like this from happening in the future. (We recommend door number two.) Here is an example of how you could frame this part of the response:

• "Every bit a result of your feedback, we are providing our employees with additional customer service grooming to prevent another experience like this from happening in the future. We know we messed up and we'd sincerely appreciate an opportunity to make this right."

4. Accept information technology offline

Perchance the most important step of whatsoever negative review response is taking it offline. Offer a directly email address, phone number, and your name when advisable so the reviewer can arrive touch and you tin deliver on the promise you made to make it right. This allows the rest of the conversation to be betwixt you and the dissatisfied customer. Here are a few ways you could word this function of your response:

• "Please give united states a call at [Phone Number] or email [E-mail Accost] and ask for [Name] so we tin learn more nigh your feel and brand information technology correct."
• "If you lot accept any further concerns or would like to talk to i of our team members personally about your experience, you can reach united states at [Phone Number] or [Email Address] anytime."

How to Reply to Ratings-Only Negative Reviews [Template]

I of the most frustrating situations is receiving a one or two-star review online with no comment or further feedback attached to it. If you run into an issue like this, hither are a few responses you can tweak and utilise to respond:

• "How-do-you-do [Customer Proper noun], we're sorry to hear yous didn't enjoy your experience with us. We take customer feedback to heart and would beloved to learn more about your experience so nosotros can improve our services. Delight contact u.s.a. at [Phone Number] or [E-mail Address] at your earliest convenience then nosotros can make this right! Thanks, and have a great day."
• "[Customer Proper name], thank you for your feedback. Your experience is of import to u.s.a. and we would appreciate hearing more about it and then we can make things right! Feel gratis to contact us at [Phone Number] or [Email Address] anytime. Thank you again!

Tin a business sue for a bad review?

Y'all may have a case to sue if a reviewer fabricated a false merits that hurt your concern, such as yous aren't licensed as a medical facility (when you lot really are).

The fact is that technically, you can sue reviewers who complain nigh ho-hum service or that your products are too expensive – but y'all won't win. The First Amendment, or freedom of speech, volition protect a reviewer's rights to say such things. Withal, if a false claim has been made that tarnishes your reputation or has lost yous business, you may have a case for suing on the grounds of defamation.

Disclaimer: we are non lawyers, and if you lot are seriously because suing, it would be in your business organisation' best involvement to receive professional legal advice regarding the thing.

Tin can you remove a negative review?

You may exist able to remove a negative review of your business, but only if it meets certain parameters.

For the major review sites – Yelp, Google and Facebook – a review tin't be removed but considering it gave you lot a low rating or said yous had poor customer service. The negative review can simply be removed if it contains any of the following:

• Prohibited content , similar hateful, derogatory or sexually explicit speech communication, and any locally or regionally illegal content.
• Conflicts of interest , like the review was written by a competitor or disgruntled employee.
• Spam, like computer-generated sales content or gibberish.
• Off-topic content , like the review has nothing to practise with a visit to your business organization.

Think you have a case for removing a negative review of your business? Leap to our sections on how to remove a review on Google, Yelp or Facebook.

How do you lot respond to a customer review without knowing the gild number?

Even if y'all don't know the order number of a customer, you tin can even so respond sincerely to their concerns past:

• Apologizing. Naught makes an upset customer feel heard like a sincere amends.
• Asking for their social club number. Request them to contact you with their order number and so you can go far right for them.
• Including several methods of contact. Include a phone number and email accost so the client can contact yous in the way he or she feels most comfortable.

Negative Review Response Templates

When responding to negative reviews of your business, y'all first desire to understand what happened. Sometimes negative reviews are fake, sometimes they are exaggerations, and sometimes they are from customers with legitimate concerns. Always arroyo the review response humbly and from a place of understanding.

A few best practices to keep in listen when responding to negative customer reviews:

• Don't include the name of your business in your review response to prevent negative reviews from showing up in searches.
• Don't specifically state what y'all are going to practise to make things right (i.east., waive a fee, offer free production, etc.), as doing and so could unintentionally encourage other negative reviews from people hoping to receive the same perks.

Here are several manufacture-specific review response templates yous tin utilise when responding to customer reviews:

Car Dealership Template

Here's a sample of how to respond to customer reviews of your dealership:

"Hi [Customer Name], thank you for bringing this to our attention. I'd like to apologize on behalf of our dealership team for the level of service you experienced. We strive for excellence in client service, and we recognize nosotros missed the mark here. As a effect of your feel, we scheduled a coming together with the involved parties to talk over how nosotros tin foreclose similar situations from happening in the future. Please allow us know if you lot have any further concerns past contacting [Employee Proper name] at [Phone Number] or [Email Address]. We do appreciate your business organisation and would like to do what we tin can to make this correct. Thanks, and take a great twenty-four hours!"

Construction and Maintenance Template

There are 2 effective means to handle a negative construction or maintenance review: recognize that you made a mistake and apologize, or respectfully explain the state of affairs from your visitor's perspective.

Here's an example of how to reply to client reviews when they reference legitimate mistakes your business organisation made:

"Hello [Customer Proper noun], we appreciate your honest feedback and the opportunity to brand things right for you. I spoke to the parties involved on your account and you lot are right in maxim mistakes were made. I promise you lot accept my sincerest apology for the lost time and stress this caused you. Please contact me at your earliest convenience so I can waive certain expenses incurred and begin earning back your trust.

Thanks,

[Name]

[Title]

[Telephone Number]

[Email Accost]"

Here's a sample of how to respond to customer reviews when you want to put the situation into context for others:

"How-do-you-do [Customer Proper noun], thank you for sharing your feedback, and I sincerely apologize for the feel you had with our construction company. Unfortunately, the siding purchased for your remodel was the same you chose and signed off on. It's too why y'all were invited to come and audit the product before we began installation. We practise have this process in identify to prevent situations similar this from occurring, and we regret that you are unhappy with the final work. If you accept any farther concerns, we would appreciate hearing from you. Experience free to contact us at any time.

Thanks,

[Name]

[Title]

[Telephone Number]

[Email Accost]"

Amusement Template

Here's an case for how to respond to customer reviews in the entertainment industry that you lot can accommodate for your local theater, studio, agency or other business:

"[Customer Proper noun], thanks and then much for your feedback. We value every experience at our [theater / studio / etc.] and repent that yours didn't live upward to your expectations. We're considering your feedback as we brand changes to our [theater / studio / etc.], but nosotros would love the opportunity to make this correct for you at present. Contact us by calling [Phone Number] or [Email Address] then we can compensate you for your trouble. Thanks again, and nosotros promise you have a adieu."

Financial Services Template

Accountants and banks have likewise been known to run into less-than-ideal reviews from dissatisfied patrons. Hither'due south a sample of how to reply to customer reviews of this nature:

"Howdy [Client Name], nosotros apologize that yous had a less-than-ideal experience at our [banking company / firm / etc.], and we appreciate your candid review. Your business organisation is very important to u.s.a., and we'd similar to learn more nearly your experience and then we tin meliorate our processes. Please contact u.s. at your earliest convenience by calling [Phone Number] or emailing [E-mail Address]. Thanks again, and we hope to earn back your trust in the near-time to come."

Healthcare Facility Template

Healthcare facilities like physician's offices and clinics face more difficulties when responding to negative reviews considering of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. Here is an example of how to answer to customer reviews while remaining HIPAA compliant:

"Hi [Customer Name], thank you for your feedback. Our facility takes patient care and satisfaction very seriously. Because of privacy regulations and to best protect our patients, it is protocol for united states of america to handle situations similar this offline. Nosotros would appreciate it if you contacted us at [Telephone Number] at your earliest convenience so nosotros can improve empathize the situation. Thank you over again, and we promise you take a peachy day."

Hotel Template

Hotels and motels are notorious for receiving feedback online. Hither's a sample of how to reply to reviews from former guests:

"Dear [Customer Name], thank you lot for your candid review of your stay at our hotel. We sincerely repent that your experience was non up to our standards. Your feedback is highly valued and helps u.s. make decisions regarding improvements and updates to our facilities. It is our pleasure to inform y'all that, as a effect of your feel, we are making updates to our rooms and installing new bathtubs over the next few weeks. We would honey for you to stay with us again at a discount once the updates are complete. Please contact me at [Telephone Number] or [Email Address] if you make up one's mind to give us another adventure to serve yous. Thank y'all again for your honesty and the opportunity to improve our hotel!

Appreciatively,

[Name]

[Title]"

Law House Template

Law firms are susceptible to all kinds of negative reviews, from clients whose cases were lost, to those whose cases were refused, so many more than. People often turn to review platforms when emotions are running high, then it'south important to know how to respond to customer reviews left by unhappy clients. Some lawyers wonder if it's ethical to answer to a negative review, and it can be, if you follow the proper guidelines .

Here'southward an example y'all can use to craft your response:

"Dear [Customer Name], cheers for your feedback and I empathise your frustration. A negative case issue is not something anyone wants, and I would capeesh the chance to personally accost you on this matter. Delight contact my role at [Phone Number] so we tin resolve this consequence together."

Not-Profit Template

Hither's an example of how to respond to negative reviews of a non-turn a profit arrangement:

"Hullo [Reviewer Name], nosotros are and so sorry to hear that you had a negative experience with our organization, and we are thankful you brought it to our attending. As a non-profit, it is always our goal to cultivate meaningful relationships with our supporters. We would appreciate it if you lot contacted us every bit [Phone Number] or [Email Address] so nosotros can learn more than about your experience and permit you know how we'd similar to effort to resolve things. Thanks again for sharing your concern, and we await forwards to hearing from yous."

Restaurant Template

Restaurants, java shops, bakeries and others in the food and potable industries are especially known for relying on positive reviews of their locations. Here'south a sample of how to reply to customer reviews from dissatisfied guests:

"Howdy [Customer Name], thank you for your candid review of our restaurant. We apologize that your nutrient came out cold and we are pleased to permit you know that we met with our wait staff to discuss how we tin keep this from happening over again in the time to come. We sincerely capeesh your patronage, and hope you'll give us another chance to serve y'all! If y'all take any questions or further concerns, please give us a call at [Phone Number]."

Salon Template

Poor salon experiences tin can drive customers away when they're posted nearly online. Here'southward a sample of how to respond to customer reviews of a hair or boom salon:

"How-do-you-do [Customer Name], we are and then distressing you did not enjoy your feel at our salon. Excellent customer service is a top priority for us and nosotros regret that we did non meet that in this situation. We would love an opportunity to resolve things with yous and make this right in the all-time fashion we can. Please contact us at [Phone Number] or [Email Accost] then we can do that for you. Thanks for your feedback, and we hope to earn back your trust!"

Veterinary Template

Pet parents can be very protective of their hirsuite friends, and if they think your veterinary clinic didn't treat them well, they're likely to head online. Here'southward an case of how to respond to customer reviews left past dissatisfied pet parents:

"Hello [Customer Name], we capeesh the feedback and nosotros are truly sorry that you did not have a groovy experience at our clinic. Unfortunately, considering pets tin can't tell united states of america what's wrong with them, nosotros frequently have to run many tests in order to narrow downwardly the possibilities. Sometimes this tin can pb to a greater expense than initially anticipated, and once again, nosotros apologize that this was non conspicuously communicated to yous earlier in the process. We are beholden of your business, and if y'all have whatsoever further concerns nearly [Pet's Proper name], please don't hesitate to reach out at [Telephone Number] or [E-mail Address]."

Full general Business Template

If your specific industry isn't covered in the listing above, hither is a general template you can use or tweak in order to respond to customer reviews:

"Howdy [Customer Name], cheers for being candid regarding your experience with u.s.a.. We sincerely apologize that it did non come across your expectations or our standards. Equally a outcome of your feedback, we are providing our employees with boosted customer service grooming to prevent some other feel like this from happening in the futurity. Nosotros know we messed upward and we'd sincerely appreciate an opportunity to make this right. Delight contact us at [Phone Number] or [Email Address] at your earliest convenience so we tin resolve this for you lot. Thanks once again, and we promise you lot have a great day."

Handling Imitation Reviews

Negative reviews from competitors, cyberspace "trolls," or people who did non really have an experience at your place of business are known as faux reviews.

Imitation negative reviews have hurt business organization' reputations over the years, and they are not something yous want to ignore or accept lightly. Fifty-fifty though you know they're faux, potential customers could be reading them and taking them at their word.

Why You lot Should Respond to Simulated Reviews

Once y'all've flagged or reported a imitation review (instructions on how to do so listed below), it's ordinarily a skilful thought to post a response because it can accept days or even weeks for the review to be removed.

The purpose of responding to fake reviews is not to validate them, but rather to explain to others browsing your reviews that you've seen and are handling the false feedback. Call up, you want to be cordial while correcting the upshot.

How to Respond to Fake Reviews [Template]

Here'due south a full general example of how to answer to false reviews:

"Hi [Client Name], it seems there might be some confusion! Are y'all sure you accept the correct business? Our [restaurant / business concern / etc.] has specific processes in place to prevent these kinds of things from happening, and the state of affairs you mention isn't something our staff is familiar with. Feel free to give the states a call at [Telephone Number] so we can better empathise the situation and assistance y'all!"

How to Remove a Fake Google Review

When you encounter a fake review, your priority is to try to remove it from the platform. Hither'due south how you can make that happen:

1. Flag the review. Login to your business' Google account and click "Reviews" on the left-hand sidebar:

Locate the fake review, click on the three dots to the right of the review, and select "Flag Review:"

That will take you to a form you can fill out in social club to report the review.

2. Telephone call for support. If nothing happens to it within 48 hours, head to the Google My Business organisation Assist Center and click "contact usa" in the upper right-hand corner.

3. Get more positive Google reviews. The best way to discredit a fake review is by surrounding information technology with raving, positive ones. Here'southward how to get Google reviews that volition push the fake ones downwards and out of sight.

How to Remove a Imitation Yelp Review

Yelp wants imitation reviews on their site even less than you practise. If y'all find a false review has made its way past Yelp'south detection algorithm, here's how to remove it:

ane. Report the review. You tin can do this by logging in to your Yelp account (or creating 1 ), locating the review y'all with to flag, clicking the three dots to the right of it, and selecting "Report Review:"

You lot'll be prompted to provide an explanation of why they should remove the review.

2. Contact for support If a few days laissez passer and goose egg happens, y'all tin can fill out this form for further assistance.

3. Get more positive Yelp reviews. You lot can work on discrediting faux negative reviews of your business with lots of positive reviews. Learn how to get Yelp reviews that work for, not against, your business concern.

How to Remove a Faux Facebook Review or Recommendation

Facebook reviews recently became Facebook recommendations, and it is quite elementary to report a fake review left past a competitor, old employee, or past someone who didn't actually have an feel at your place of business organization:

one. Report the review or recommendation. Login to your business' Facebook page and locate the review or recommendation you wish to report nether the "Reviews" department on the left-paw side:

Click on the assertion point icon on the right of the review or recommendation to report it:

2. Follow farther instructions. There may be a pop-upward or grade that appears, asking you to select or explain the reason you lot are reporting the mail service. Be as specific as possible.

Getting More Reviews

I of the all-time means to drown out negative reviews is with a steady, regular stream of positive reviews, which may exist easier to obtain than you lot call up. You tin get more than positive reviews of your business by asking your happiest customers to leave feedback online.

How do you lot ask for more than positive reviews?

Customers are much more likely to leave positive reviews of your business when you lot enquire them at the correct fourth dimension and in the right way.

Here are some best practices to follow when asking for online reviews of your business:

• Pre-screen your customers. Y'all desire to only ask for online reviews when your customers are satisfied with their experience. If they aren't satisfied yet, you want that negative feedback to get privately to your business organization so you know what needs to be improved.
• Follow-upwards with customers. You're more likely to receive more positive reviews when you lot inquire more than once for your customer'southward feedback, either by style of an SMS text message or through emails.
• Transport request for reviews oft. Information technology's platonic to receive a steady stream of reviews from your customers, so information technology'south a proficient thought to make a habit of requesting reviews from customers weekly – if not every day.
• Automate the procedure . Your fourth dimension is valuable, and there are simple methods of automatically requesting reviews from customers. If yous're wondering whether this is the right motion for you, attempt a gratuitous trial today.

Which review platform should my business organization focus on?

At that place are more than business review sites than you might realize – hundreds, in fact – and the best ones for your business concern might surprise yous.

There are the top review platforms, of course – like Google, Yelp and Facebook – but there are also platforms for specific niches, like TripAdvisor for all-things tourism, Avvo for lawyers, and then many other business review sites you can take advantage of. We recommend having a presence on those top sites, as well as creating accounts for the sites specific to your niche.

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Source: https://risingstarreviews.com/customer-reviews/how-to-respond-to-customer-reviews/