Yelp is a very powerful review site, where your customers may go to publish their personal experiences of dealing with your business. Of course, it is only natural to hope that these testimonials are good. However, you will eventually run into a bad review, and it is in your best interest to learn how to handle such reviews. Believe it or not, you can actually turn negative reviews into positive affirmations of your business credibility. Want to know how? Here are some tips for how to overcome a bad Yelp review:
Pay attention to what is being said. Sure, it may be hard to read anything negative about your business, but instead of jumping to defense, you need to keep in mind that there is likely some truth to the review (even if it is derogatory or exaggerated). By carefully considering what you are reading, you may be able to pinpoint some areas where your business could legitimately use some betterment.
Respond. You may do this privately or publicly, but it is a good idea to do both. That means sending a private message to the reviewer, asking what you may do to remedy the situation, and then posting publicly that you are sorry the reviewer feels that way, and that you would like the chance to make things better. Also, it is always a sign of good business to offer a viable solution to the problem. Others who read the review will see this as a testament to your commitment to customer service. For example, if a customer was unhappy with meal from your establishment, then you may choose to offer a coupon, and then ask the customer to give your restaurant another chance.
Things to avoid. Don’t ever ignore a bad review. That’s probably the worst thing you could do. Don’t ever deny your own responsibility in the matter, or attempt to justify bad business; if something truly went wrong, acknowledge it. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of providing a neutral, diplomatic, and genuine response.
Be realistic. When it comes to dealing with negative reviews on a personal (or emotional) level, here is something to keep in mind that may assuage some of your anxieties: potential customers do not trust when a business has all-positive reviews. Remember that these are real people you are dealing with, and real people understand that no business can truly satisfy every single customer. Be realistic in thinking that you will inevitably get some negative reviews, and focus on creating positive outcomes, rather than dwelling on negative feelings.