As any business owner knows, negative online reviews can have a huge impact on future business. But what should you do when you get the inevitable less-than-positive review? Ignore it? Respond?
Based on an analysis of thousands of local businesses featured on the Locality.com platform, Locality CEO Jay Shek developed a list of four crucial mistakes that small business owners frequently make when responding to negative online reviews:
MISTAKE 1: POSTING FAKE POSITIVE REVIEWS
Local neighborhood guides often have red flags in place to find out when a business owner posts fake reviews. Don't run the risk of being publicly shamed. It's not worth it.
MISTAKE 2: OVERREACTING
Negative responses, finger-pointing, and customer-blaming is a quick way to turn a bad online conversation into really bad buzz that hurts your bottom line. Instead, be constructive and find a solution.
MISTAKE 3: BEING TOO PASSIVE
Ask your loyal followers to review you online. Target red flags in customer service and nip them in the bud before they find their way to a review.
MISTAKE 4: KEEPING THE CONVERSATION ONLINE
Don't get stuck online -- move the conversation offline. Contact the customer behind the negative review, hear them out, and offer a positive solution.
ABOUT LOCALITY:
Founded in 2011, Locality (http://www.locality.com/) is a service that businesses can use to create an online profile and publish their information for free. To sign up, visit www.locality.com/merchants.