The advent of the internet made it easier for people to find information, but it also made it easier for people to post negative reviews online too. All it takes is a few bad reviews for the reputation of your business to plummet. Those reviews can make people think twice about what you sell or offer and about doing business with you. While you might want to strike back and make a rude comment in return, there are other more helpful things that you can do to combat that negative information.
Post a Response
An easy way to combat a review that you get is with a simple response that you post. Many review sites let you create your own account that you can use to update your page, post reviews and even leave behind comments. If you feel angry after reading the negative review, give yourself a few hours or days to get your emotions under control. Write a simple response that addresses the review and includes an attempt to make the customer happy such as a refund or a discount on a future purchase.
Address the Issue in Other Forums
When someone writes a negative review about your business, you can address the issue in other forums and increase your online reputation. If a customer is unhappy because a server in a restaurant spilled a drink on his or her lap, post about the complaint on Facebook and other social media sites with an apology from your team. You can point out the steps that you took on the spot too such as paying for the diner’s meal. Many people won’t just take the word of a reviewer but will also look at what the company has to say.
Ask for Help
Negative reviews can make or break your business, especially in the first few months after you open. PR firms in south Florida and other parts of the country can help you decide what to do about the negative reviews and other information posted about your business online. You might guest post on another blog and leave a link to your company’s website, ask the site that hosts the review to review it or work to spread more positive content across the web. While negative reviews can harm a business, you can take care of those reviews in a few different ways.