Some people consider it taboo to talk about bad reviews about our products and services on social media and in places where we can be reviewed.
But remember that not all is lost, by transforming detractors into promoters we will gain great allies.
Customer Reviews
Let’s agree that almost always before buying a product, requesting a service, going somewhere, we always look for reviews about it, right?
And even eventually we need to filter what we read, because we don’t always know that they truly reflect reality.
For example, you are thinking about going to a restaurant, and you decide to read the customer reviews.
If we were close to a special date, for example, Valentine’s Day, I’m sure that most of the recent comments, and complaints, would be about the lines at the entrance and the waiting time.
Obviously we know that at these times it is practically impossible to have fast service in restaurants, so common sense is needed.
In the same way, some consumers prefer to immediately criticize a company’s image on social media, even before requesting assistance regarding a specific demand.
So don’t do to others what you wouldn’t want them to do to you! It’s that simple.
Of course, eventually you don’t have a problem, the problem may be personal, the client’s, but you can never assume that this is the case, so be aware of that.
Until you fully understand the problem you don’t have that power.
Don’t ignore the problem
I have clients who, despite my efforts, simply ignore negative comments, as if they would disappear or be ignored by other clients.
That’s not going to happen. Think about it, I can say that 70% of consumers who read negative comments will only notice how long it took you to respond to them.
Everyone knows that problems exist and happen, they want to see if you will try to act to resolve the situation. So try to resolve it and bring the discussion to a private place.
There is a saying that a satisfied customer will probably recommend you to one or two friends. But an unhappy customer will recommend you to dozens! And with social media, this is very true.
Train your support team to do this correctly and as quickly as possible, and use a ticketing tool to manage the entire inbound flow.
Move your ass and solve it
This has to do with your entire customer service structure. When I was responsible for customer service for over 3,000 customers in a service company, I couldn’t let things get beyond the first level.
Be empathetic and don’t make the customer repeat the story more than once. Create a process that understands and documents the customer’s problem the first time, and the actions needed to resolve it.
While you are solving the problem, keep the customer phone number library systematically informed of what is being done, even with the problem open, he will realize that you are working to solve his problem.
Use all possible means and resolve the problem. Of course, it is a good idea to have a responsible person directly with each detractor customer, as this will help in the medium and long term.
After solving the problem, continue following up, if possible deliver something extra, and even better if it is you – the owner.
And pay attention to the following:
It’s not a war of arguments, nor a debate, be quiet and listen;
Is the feedback relevant? Is it important? Does it help us improve?
Unless you are a cable or telephone company, personalize your response, no copy and paste;
Thank you for the comment, even if it is negative;
Take responsibility and ownership of the problem;
Be sure to share with the customer how you will encourage online customer reviews resolve and improve the process;
Always do the right thing;
One detractor is worth more than 5 satisfied customers
Hey, what do you mean? That’s right, sorry for being so blunt. But detractors tend to say everything without any kind of filter.
So they are one of the best sources of information to discover the weaknesses of your products or services.
Use this power to improve your products or services once you solve his problem
If, for example, you sell services, ask him to demonstrate exactly the problem, analyze it and correct it. It may be that, in addition to other possible detractors, you solve the problem of several other passive detractors!
Eventually you can even ask exactly what he would like book your list to be done to solve the problem, if it is feasible and reasonable, why not solve it that way?
So negative reviews are good?
In a way, yes, it is through them that we identify our problems and can adjust the whole thing.
But they are good for educating yourself and learning how to answer them in the best way possible.
Even companies that only have positive reviews give off a strange feeling that they might be fake reviews.
But pay attention to Bright Local’s numbers:
For 87% of people, you need an average rating of 3 to 5 stars to do business with them;
Up to 94% stopped doing business after reading a negative testimonial;
At least 48% of people will only do business if they see at least a 4-star rating;
And over 35% only leave an online review when they have a negative experience;
Want to delve deeper into the subject?
Do some research on NPS – Net Promoter Score, it can be a step further to differentiate yourself from the competition and know exactly the level of the problem in your company.
And finally
The customer is always right, but not always correct. But it is always good to hear someone who has good arguments, even if they are against our products or services.
Of course, no effort is worth it when there is a lack of respect and education on the part of one of the parties.
So you can make an effort to understand the problem
Neither you nor your employees need to put up with rude customers. Respect comes first.
Still, in times of social isolation, coronavirus, lack of staff, you are probably doing what is possible within the conditions, everyone has to understand that this is a period of adjustments.
You are not superman, move on, we will get through this and fix all the problems then.
Turning an abusive user into a brand advocate can be challenging, but it’s possible with the right strategies. Here are some steps that can help:
Listen to the user and respond with empathy:
When a user is acting aggressively, it’s important to listen to them and respond with empathy. This can help calm their spirits and make them feel like their opinion is valued. Show that the brand is willing to listen and resolve the issue.
Resolve the issue quickly: If there is a specific issue that is making the user angry, try to resolve it as quickly as possible. This can help turn their opinion of the brand around. If the brand can resolve the issue quickly and effectively, the user may feel more positive about the experience as a whole.
Offer an apology:
If the brand has made a mistake, it’s important to admit it and apologize. This can help regain the user’s trust and show that the brand values their opinion.
Offer incentives: If the user is willing to give the brand a second chance, offer incentives such as discounts or freebies. This can show that the brand values the user’s loyalty and is willing to work to keep them as a satisfied customer.
Ask for feedback: Once the issue is resolved, ask the user for feedback on their experience. This can help identify recurring issues and make changes to improve the customer experience in the future. If the user provides positive feedback, the brand can use this as an opportunity to turn them into brand advocates by asking them to share their positive experience with others.