6 Ways to Deal With Negative Online Reviews

Imagine a world where everyone is always smiling, happy and full of kindness towards others. It’s a place I’d like to believe exists, but unfortunately, we don’t live in Pleasantville. No matter how authentic our entrepreneurs are, we are likely to rub someone the wrong way.

People I don’t even know have said hurtful things to me in my career. If I shared the list, you would be absolutely horrified to read some of these vicious attacks. And learning to deal with them, without taking them personally, has been one of the biggest hurdles I’ve had to overcome as an entrepreneur.

My husband tells me I need to have a thicker skin. And you know what? He’s absolutely right. Because the more I go into the marketplace with my vision and mission to fight childhood obesity, the more likely I am to offend someone with my message.

So let my authenticity shine through. I’m not here to pander to people who disagree with my vision. I am here to embrace and help those who do.

However, with the rise of social media, it’s increasingly difficult to keep negativity at bay when dealing with emotionally charged clients or prospects. So I recently consulted a small business PR and marketing coach to help me navigate these murky waters.

Here are six strategies for dealing with negative online reviews.

1. If there is a negative review or comment on your website or Facebook page, delete it.

This comment absolutely stunned me. After all, we all want to be authentic and real, don’t we? My coach advised me otherwise. As a former marketing manager for a large shopping centre, she told me that the first thing they do is to withdraw a public complaint and deal with the matter privately. For example, in her case, a customer of the mall took a picture of a food item in the mall with a bug in it and started spreading the news all over the company’s website. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the customer had placed the bug in the food in the hope of getting the next meal for free. This kind of publicity is not something you want to keep on your website or social media pages. It is something you need to deal with privately.

2. If you can control your website, control it.

There are lots of apps like Yelp that are based on customer reviews. But if a negative review appears on your site, and you can control it, remove it. Again, deal with the problem privately.
3. Respond to all customer complaints, no matter how small.

The only thing worse than responding negatively to a bad review is not responding at all. Take the time to write a personal message and address the issue head-on. Chances are the problem is not as serious as it seems, and giving the customer your time and attention will make them feel heard. You may even thank them for taking the time to write to you.

4. Don’t take comments personally, even if they seem like a personal attack.

This can be a difficult lesson to learn, but many people have been influenced by their own negative experiences and life lessons. For example, someone who has already taken advantage of a small business may take the opportunity to criticise you for the business opportunity you offer, even if the two are unrelated and yours is entirely legitimate.

5. If a public criticism must remain public, respond to the complaint in a logical manner.

Forget emotion. It’s easy to respond to criticism with our feelings, but this only adds fuel to the fire. Take the opportunity to respond logically by giving your side of the story and publicly apologise to your customer for their negative experience. You can even be brave and offer a gift to help resolve the problem.

6. If the negative online reviews keep coming… you may want to rethink the way you do business.

For example, if the same complaint keeps popping up, try changing your process to eliminate the complaint in the first place. Repeated customer complaints are a message to you that changes are needed. How can you improve the customer experience in this area?

Dealing with online negativity and customer complaints is never easy or fun. But rather than seeing them as a terrifying nightmare destined to derail your business, why not try to see them as an opportunity for improvement? Responding to customer complaints in a timely and professional manner can be the first line of defence in stopping and then growing your business.