How Does It Feel to Be a Problem Review

• Negative Reviews, Reputation Management, Review Direction

11 Review Response Templates For Negative Reviews

Negative reviews, left by unhappy customers, present serious problems for almost every business. Sometimes you need a template to help guide your response.

• Andrew McDermott
• Jan 19, 2021

Reading Time: 23 minutes

Updated iii/24/2022

Well-nigh businesses don't know how to respond to negative reviews.

Negative reviews, left by unhappy customers, nowadays a serious trouble for most every business. When customers leave a negative review, it's a sign of broken trust.

It feels like an accusation.

A proclamation stating that your organisation failed to deliver as promised. Most people aren't the greatest at receiving negative feedback. It draws out an immediate stiff reaction that can be paralyzing.

Should I respond? If so, what's the best way?

No matter what, information technology's essential for you to know when there's a negative review well-nigh your business published. Review monitoring is going to exist the commencement pace in your review management strategy. You can't fix a problem if you don't know it exists.

Once you've received a timely warning, you demand to have your programme of action for responding to negative reviews.

Permit's take a look.

Table of Contents

Why do people write negative reviews?

J.M. Rensink, a researcher at the University of Twente, discovered vii motivations behind positive and negative give-and-take-of-mouth . Today, nosotros'll focus on the negative. Namely, why customers leave negative reviews .

1. Vengeance. This customer has had a bad experience. They feel y'all've wronged them in some style, and they're out for revenge.
2. Anger/feet reduction. This customer is trying to self soothe. They're looking for a way to vent, to purge, relieve, or reduce the pressure level from their negative emotions.
3. Solution seeking. These customers have a problem just feel they tin can't trust their company to set up that problem. They reach out to reviewers and prospective buyers for advice, multiplying your trouble.
4. Altruism/education. These customers are just reporting the facts as they see them. They're focused on sharing their experiences with the public at big, whether those experiences are positive or negative.
5. Message intrigue. These reviews tin exist positive or negative. They're triggered by external activity (due east.g., ads, commercials, or a public relations disaster).

These details inform and educate. Prospective buyers use these negative reviews as profiling tools. They're resources buyers can use to evaluate your business speedily. With that in mind, let's have a look at the steps you lot can take to craft the perfect response.

Why should businesses answer to negative reviews?

The data is clear.

Customers await you to reply to their reviews, whether that review is positive or negative.

• 86% of consumers who mutter expect a response within three days.
• Businesses that don't respond to reviews earn ix% less acquirement than average.
• Businesses that reply at least 25% of the time earn 35% more than revenue.
• A 30% response rate is the minimum needed to surpass your competitors.
• When enterprises increased their reply rate on Google reviews, they saw an 80% conversion charge per unit increment over their local competitors.

This makes sense though, correct?

Who wants to be ghosted when they accomplish out to a company or vendor for aid? This isn't rocket scientific discipline. That said, 75% of businesses don't respond to any of their customer'south reviews.

This is an opportunity.

It's a chance for y'all to boost your business' conversion rates, revenues, and customer goodwill. Responding to customers when they're unhappy with your visitor, product, or service shows prospective customers how they'll be treated if they decide to piece of work with your business.

Only it all starts with customer service.

Outstanding customer service, great customer experiences — this is the foundation of great reviews. If you show customers that you're focused on their needs, you'll have what you need to produce astonishing reviews.

What does this hateful? Your support team…

1. Provides psychological prophylactic: Your customers believe it'due south safe to come to you lot with any problem at whatsoever time. They're not afraid or worried near the abuse they'll receive.
2. Listens to your customers: It doesn't matter if they're happy or unhappy, complaining or validating. Swell companies are attentive, empathetic, and focused on their client's needs.
3. Confirms that they understand: This is repeating client concerns back to them in your ain words, so they're aware that you sympathize their complaints.
4. Is knowledgeable and prepared: Your support team should exist well-versed with the particulars of your client'south complaints. This means they have answers and solutions to customer complaints, or they know how to get the answers and solutions customers need.
5. Anticipates your customer's needs: Great support teams conceptualize their client'south wants, needs, bug, fears, frustrations ahead of time. They provide customers with a solution to address the challenges customers face.
6. Owns and apologizes for company mistakes: Teach your support squad how to apologize. Provide them with the scripts and templates they can reference in their responses to customers (encounter below for examples of both). Testify them how to avoid taking customer feedback personally.
7. Gives more than you receive: Client service reps perform all-time when they have the liberty needed to over-evangelize for your customers. They remind their back up squad that creating value, maintaining, and restoring relationships are the of import pieces.

These details are crucial.

Only they're also not common with customer support teams. Many organizations focus their attention on getting customers off the phone. They prefer to do the minimum amount of piece of work needed to go what they want from customers.

This is destructive.

Customers know when they're existence handled or managed. Instead, they're looking for support reps who are willing to invest the visitor resources needed to solve their problems.

How to respond to negative reviews

Before we dive into each blazon of negative review and how to respond, at that place is an overarching framework that you'll desire to apply when responding to negative feedback.

1. Personalize the response with the reviewer'due south proper noun when possible. Some review sites require a name, and others allow pseudonyms. This is an indicator. It shows the reviewer (and lurkers) that y'all're speaking to them directly. You're non copying and pasting a script or posting a generic respond.

See what Kelly, the General Director, did? She addressed Craig by name, thanked him for his feedback, and told him to contact her personally so she can have expert care of him. She admitted his review was a tough, simply necessary pill to swallow. This strikes the correct tone with unhappy customers.

2. Thank the reviewer for taking the fourth dimension to get out the review. Why thank them for a negative review? It establishes psychological safety with reviewers and lurkers; it communicates gratitude for their willingness to share valuable data.

Here'south an instance:

This isn't easy to do. Information technology's simple, but it'southward frequently emotionally difficult. This review is actually embarrassing and incredibly damaging to the business organization. Yet, the general managing director took the time to thank the reviewer for their feedback. Bravo.

3. Acknowledge their trouble. Information technology doesn't affair whether yous agree with their perspective or not. They want yous to address the reason that they're writing the review. This is office of showing that you understand. When used appropriately, this acquittance places both of y'all on the same side, attacking the problem together. Yous can acknowledge your client'south problem in a diverseness of ways.

• Rephrase the problem in your ain words.
• Empathize and comment on the consequences of the problem. "Yikes, I'd be pretty upset if I were in your shoes."
• Employ fear, felt, found. "I ran into the same. Exact. Problem. I was then frustrated; it was similar they didn't even intendance. I don't desire y'all to feel that manner; here'southward what we can practise for you lot..."
• Rephrase portions of the problem, then inquire for clarification. "And so he canceled your account? When did THAT happen?!
• Emphasize the severity of the problem. "You lot were billed 2x more than you should take been?! That'southward definitely not okay. Let's become that taken care of right away."

See the difference? These responses lean into the problem. They don't invalidate the customer'due south perception of what's happening. This is what's necessary to restore the client relationship to good continuing.

4. Apologize and bear witness empathy : Apologize to them, validate their feelings. This doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to give them what they're asking for. At the very least, evidence them that you empathize and that you're sorry. Customers are looking for you to apologize, to take ownership of the perceived fault. How you practice it is dictated by the words used in your client's review.

You can repent past:

• Saying I'm sad.
• Albeit "nosotros were wrong."
• Request: What can we practice to make this right?
• Promising: We've changed xyz, so abc never happens again.
• What can we practice to earn your forgiveness?

Your amends language ensures customers experience understood (I cover this in more than detail beneath). Customers oft provide important clues about the kind of apology they're looking for. What'south galling about the usual apologies customers receive is the fact that they aren't apologies.

Have a wait.

Not so satisfying, is information technology? This business owner didn't do her homework. She didn't wait up the customer'south information ahead of time. Didn't ask questions, didn't address the reviewer by name, and didn't provide the customer with any sort of restitution. Her response conveys disinterest, whether she means to or not.

5. Try to provide a solution when possible. Make things right. This might mean taking responsibility for a misunderstanding or compensating them if they were wronged. It's important to present customers with solutions to their issues, even if the problem is their fault.

Here'south an example:

The back up team was cordial, thanked Adam (the customer) for his review, and shared information specific to his account. The frank but respectful tone alleviated the frustration the client had with their issues. Equally a result, This company was able to solve the problem and keep their relationship with their client.

6. Take the conversation to a not-public aqueduct. Provide the reviewer with a personal or support electronic mail and ensure that they're able to become the assistance that they demand. Generally speaking, this is a good idea. Some customers believe businesses are eager to take the chat offline to avoid shame or bad press. To a certain extent, they're correct. But there are far more important reasons to take the conversation offline.

• Avert disclosing individual information (due east.g., personal, financial, etc.)
• Minimize non-compliance hazards
• Avoid humiliating or embarrassing the customer
• Minimize the exposure of sensitive corporate data (which may hurt your company)
• Fugitive legal hazards or liability concerns

This isn't a comprehensive list.

An initial response to customers is fine, but review responses aren't supposed to be extended conversations where there'south a pregnant amount of back and along. Customers are likewise very unlikely to get into a long, fatigued-out conversation (unless they're worked up emotionally).

A brief response followed past an invitation to message you for boosted assistance is advisable (east.thousand., would you transport me an electronic mail at [email protected] or call me direct at 708-123-4567? I'd similar to address your concerns personally). Hither'southward an example of that in action.

With this framework, let'due south take a wait at how we tin can use our templates, personalize them, and apply them to each type of negative feedback.

Review response template #1: The vengeful customer

This customer isn't looking for satisfaction; they don't want a resolution to the problem. Their focus is elementary. They want to injure you. The more than harm they're able to produce, the better.

Hither'southward an example:

This customer hates their concern. Not just are they willing to post a negative review, they're attempting to rally reviewers to their cause. They reported this business to the Chaser General's Office, and they'd like every client to do the same.

They want to come across this business organisation fail.

How should you lot respond to a client's review when you lot've let them down? Is there annihilation you can say to restore or salvage the human relationship?

Here's a template you tin can use to respond to your vengeful customers.

Hullo [ Reviewers Name ],

[ Name ] here, I'm the [ title ] at [ business name ].

I'thousand and so pitiful we permit you downwards.

Nosotros've taken your feedback and the feedback of other reviewers to heart. We're in the process of making some major changes.

[ Specific nevertheless concise list of changes ]

Is there anything we can do to make this up to you? I completely understand if you're angry and simply looking for space/closure. Nonetheless, I'd like to make things right if I can.

Are yous open up to this?

[ Managing director name | contact number ]

Why it works:

It'south like shooting fish in a barrel to set on a faceless corporation. It's not quite as easy to set on a specific person, especially 1 who is innocent and but attempting to practise their job. Beginning and ending with a name improve your odds of humanizing the conversation.

It'southward no guarantee of course.

In fact, if you lot're dealing with a vengeful customer, the adventure of this working is very low percent.

This is good news.

This response isn't for your vengeful client. This response is for future prospective buyers who stumble across your negative review. Every bit a whole, customers are reasonable people. They wait to run across negative reviews. But more chiefly, they're interested in seeing how you respond to these negative reviews.

That's the key.

Review response template #2: The angry/anxious customer

These customers are angry.

Their anger may be based on several legitimate or illegitimate factors concerning your situation. Here's the key differentiator. At first glance, these customers sound like the vengeful customers nosotros've just discussed.

This client has a correct to be angry, don't you recall? He had sure expectations going in. He paid for his flight with the expectation that he and his luggage would arrive safely. He arrived safely, just his luggage was badly damaged. The obvious move here would be for the airline to replace their luggage and whatsoever missing or damaged contents (plus something extra for their troubles); information technology may seem like an over the top response, but that's what's needed here .

This is salvageable.

This business concern didn't make the right choice, but mishaps like these tin can be repaired. But only if you're able to testify that you care about your customer's problem.

Okay…

Here'southward a template you tin employ to reply to your angry customers.

[ Reviewers Name ], yous're right.

You expected [ result ], yous should have received that, but that'due south not what we delivered. If I were in your state of affairs, I'd be pretty upset likewise.

I'm and then sorry we missed the mark on this.

We should have caught this the start fourth dimension, but nosotros didn't. These mistakes have been difficult (and expensive) lessons to learn. We're using your feedback to [ concise list of changes ].

Can we brand this upwards to you lot (at our expense)?

I'd like to exercise any I can to correct our mistake and earn your forgiveness. What can nosotros do to make this right?

Please reach me directly at:

[ Manager proper name | contact number ]

Here'south another template yous can use for this type of customer.

Dear [ Reviewers Name ],

What you went through — it all sounds horrible. I'm and then, very sorry. This should not accept happened. Yous expected [effect], but that is non what nosotros delivered.

Can we make this upwardly to you (at our expense)? Delight contact me straight at [ your telephone number ] or [ [e-mail protected] ]. I'd like to become this resolved for you within 24 hours if you're available.

Your experience with us was terrible. Yous deserve better; please let us to show you lot.

[Manager name | contact number]

Why these templates work: We're using the language of apology. Almost people aren't aware of the fact that apologies have their own language. Most people expect specific things from the apologies they receive. What sort of things? Some people expect you to communicate:

1. Regret. These customers desire to hear the words "I'm sorry." They desire to come across and empathise that yous feel regret for your actions.
2. Ownership. These customers want yous to accept responsibleness for your mistakes and own them – without excuses, evasion or blame.
3. Restitution. These customers want y'all to restore them, to make things whole. This could be issuing a refund, doing the piece of work for free, replacing a detail item.
4. Reform. These customers want to know what you'll exercise to forestall this effect or problem from e'er happening again.
5. Forgiveness. These customers desire you to asking reconciliation. They desire to see your humility and/or vulnerability. Some may intentionally reject you when you lot ask. Others may welcome y'all back with open arms.

Which i is most important to your client? You lot accept no idea. Which is why information technology'south of import that you include elements of all five in your response. This isn't as important with vengeful customers as they're simply looking for means to hurt you.

Review response template #3: The solution seeker

Customers aren't always emotional. Some customers just desire a solution to a specific trouble but they're too afraid to ask for help.

These relationships can be repaired if you're willing to: (a.) Become above and beyond for your customers (e.g. making yourself fully available to customers) and/or (b.) Reversing the risks they face with a promise of some kind (due east.g guarantee, warranty, or seller-assumed take chances).

Here's a template you lot can use to reply to your solution seeking customers.

[ Reviewers Proper name ], thanks for reaching out.

Your concerns make sense. We could accept [ taken particular actions ] to relieve your stress and feet but nosotros didn't do that. I'thou sorry nigh that.

Here's what I can practice for you.

I can [ concise listing of solutions/activeness steps ].

Every bit a courtesy, I'd likewise similar to offer a complementary [ bonus actions/reward/incentive ]. Would this help to make things right?

Delight let me know,

[ Manager name | contact number ]

Here's another template you can use.

[ Reviewers Proper name ],

Your concerns make sense.

I'm deplorable we weren't every bit [ clear ] or as [ circumspect ] as we should take been. Yous shouldn't have to deal with these issues on your ain. Would any of these options work for y'all?

[ concise list of solutions/action steps ].

Would any of these aid to make things right? Please contact me directly at [ your phone number ] or [ [electronic mail protected] ], and I'll accept intendance of this personally for you.

[ Manager name | contact number ]

Why these templates work:

This gives solution seeking customers a manner to solve their problem. If you've missed the mark somewhere along the line, now'south the time to apologize. But be certain to use the advisable amends language. You'll demand something else to seal the bargain.

A bonus, advantage, or incentive.

Your goal here is twofold: (1.) Reduce the risks to customers searching for a item trouble and (2.) Have those risks onto yourself.

Review response template #4: Altruism/didactics customers

These customers are but near reporting the facts as they see them. Their experience can be positive, negative, or neutral — this isn't their focus. Their focus is on helping others – prospective buyers who are interested in an unbiased account of their feel with you.

Responding to a negative review from an altruistic/education customer is straightforward.

Merely the facts.

They're going to share the facts and details of their situation: their experience, the events in question, and specific information . That's what your response needs to include.

How exercise you lot do that?

Here's the template you tin can use to reply to your altruistic/teaching customers.

Hi [ Reviewers Name ],

I wanted to cheers for sharing your thoughts and feedback with us. I'm disappointed to hear that yous were treated in a way that was less than you deserve.

I'g so sorry about that.

This shouldn't have happened to you. We dropped the ball completely here. If you're open to information technology, I'd like to make this up to you.

Please let me know,

[ Manager name | contact number ]

Hither's some other template you can apply:

Dear [ Reviewers Name ],

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. You've given united states of america some valuable information and shown us where we demand to meliorate.

You deserve ameliorate than this.

I'm sorry, this shouldn't take happened at all. Would you give us a run a risk to make this correct? I'd like to take care of your issues personally and make sure your issues are resolved. If you're interested, please contact me directly at [ your telephone number ] or [[e-mail protected]].

Thanks to you, we've made the post-obit changes:

[ Curtailed list of changes ]

I'll brand certain this doesn't happen over again.

[ Managing director name | contact number ]

Why these templates work:

This response is lite on emotional language. Remember, these altruistic/teaching customers are typically focused on the facts. They're interested in giving those effectually them a truthful, off-white yet unbiased business relationship of their experience with yous.

Which but so happened to be negative.

Become above and beyond for these customers. Do whatever it takes to woo them back to your corner. Take care of them. Shield them from the issues that created these negative reviews in the commencement place.

Have care of them.

Practise information technology without an expectation of return, even if it means they still turn down you . Do it for your future buyers ; respond even if you lot're unsure about the outcomes or potential turn a profit.

Review response template #v: Customer blackmail

Some customers aren't fair.

They're willing to use blackmail to get what they want from companies . A recent post in CNET establish that hotels and restaurants are noticing an increase in blackmail threats.

But why?

"Instead, they evidently suggest that unless the establishment doesn't treat them in an exaggeratedly accommodating style, they'll postal service a negative review to a site like TripAdvisor. They allegedly demand upgrades in hotels, or gratuitous meals in restaurants."

Yikes.

Hither's an case of that:

Hither are some strategies and templates you can use to deal with customer blackmailers.

If yous're a B2C organization, make sure yous have surveillance cameras with sound.

Relieve all written advice as evidence.

Study any demands or claims to the constabulary immediately. Yous can employ it every bit evidence to exonerate your business , even if the blackmailer isn't defenseless.

Consistently request reviews from customers; this will brand it more difficult for blackmailers and spammers to attach themselves to your business.

Simply having evidence you can use or reference in your reviews provides you with the tools and resources yous need to counteract any claims against you.

Here'south a response template you can apply to address their accusations.

This customer is attempting to bribery our business organization.

They contacted the states on [engagement] and demanded an upgrade to their hotel room. On the telephone call, they unsaid that they would post a negative review if we didn't fix the problem.

Simply at that place was no problem.

Here's a screenshot of their email and the audio from their phone phone call.

[ Manager proper noun | contact number ]

Here's some other template you can apply:

This client is attempting to bribery our business organization.

We've reported them to [ review site ], and we're waiting on their respond.

They contacted us on [ engagement ] demanding that nosotros:

[ list bribery asking here ].

They told united states they'd post a negative review on all of our review profiles if nosotros didn't comply. Nosotros don't believe this is appropriate and take taken the proper steps to address this fraudulent review.

[ Manager name | contact number ]

Why these templates work:

If you tin can provide futurity prospects with the testify they need, nigh customers are more than willing to take your give-and-take for it (provided that your merits is a compelling i).

Y'all must be morally appropriate.

That ways no name-calling, personal attacks, raging, condescension, or manipulation. Tell the kind truth, even though your blackmailer doesn't deserve it. This gives you the moral loftier ground, and it shows everyone you're willing to practise what's correct.

It's important to note here that your commencement step should be flagging and reporting the offending review to the site owners in question. If you lot're absolutely convinced that this review is fraudulent, information technology's a expert idea to pursue this pick showtime. That said, this choice may exist striking or miss depending on the platform.

Review response template #6: Review spammers

Reviews are legitimate if they:

1. Were written by a bona fide customer who has used your production or service.
2. Represented the facts of the transaction from a reasonable but subjective point of view.
3. Follow the terms and weather condition of the review platform the review is posted on.

This isn't what spammers practice though. No, these spammers are notorious for breaking the rules. Your reviewers could exist:

• A competitor who's looking to bury your business organisation under an avalanche of negative reviews or accumulate positive reviews for themselves.
• A legitimate customer who had a transaction simply decided to lie most information technology for their own personal gain.
• An illegitimate customer who never had a transaction with you but decided to prevarication about information technology.
• An incentivized reviewer who is compensated or rewarded in some way to write a review that's for or against your business.
• The reviewer violates whatever review platform guidelines (e.thousand., discriminatory, hateful or libelous content).

A Yelp reviewer named Dan. W, posted a one-star review of Wonderful, claiming staff refused to seat him as he was alone. He mentioned waiting around for a tabular array and then leaving.

Here's the problem.

Dan lied about his meet with the staff at Wonderful. He was in the eating house for 22 seconds and decided against speaking to anyone. Restaurant owners had him on camera.

There'due south no question about information technology. This client was dishonest.

Here'southward a response template/framework you tin can use to deal with spammers.

We don't have whatever clients with the proper noun [ Client Business organization ]. And we don't serve whatever clients in the [ mentioned ] industry. We've only ever focused on clients in the [ your industry ] manufacture.

What nigh legitimate spam? Here's a process/template you tin utilize to bargain with legitimate spam.

1. Flag/report the review
2. Accept applicative steps to follow up
3. Repeat every bit necessary

If that fails, you can besides utilise these responses, when relevant, to address spam concerns.

[ Reviewers Proper name ], thank you for your feedback.

Depending on the review, this may too be an appropriate time to say nothing. If it's blatantly obvious and unreasonable, information technology may exist a good idea to say zip and keep to monitor the review. Customers are sophisticated enough to disbelieve these reviews.

Why these templates work:

These reviews are factual. They're focused on the events that happened in the truth behind the reviewer's claims. There'southward no defensiveness, no name-calling, condescension, acrimony, or contempt.

Just common cold hard facts.

This levelheaded approach is far more than believable to customers than one that'southward overly defensive or difficult.

Unique Review Attacks #7: The angry mob

Ayesha Curry, wife of Golden State Warriors point baby-sit Stephen Curry, decided to open up a new BBQ eatery. In Houston.

The problem?

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets in the NBA semi-finals. Fans responded past flooding his wife's restaurant with imitation one-star reviews before it even opened .

How do you handle an angry mob?

Fortunately, Yelp has put measures into place to protect your business organisation.

For other sites like Facebook, y'all tin temporarily hide your Recommendations tab while yous resolve the upshot and reach out to Facebook support. You should always try to go the faux, trolling, or dominion-breaking reviews flagged and removed.

Sometimes Facebook is not very responsive to Recommendation removal. In that instance, you'll need to utilize traditional marketing channels (advertisement, guest posts, interviews, publicity, etc.) to counteract the negative reviews and detest trolling.

Review response template #8: The non-client review

The non-customer review is a variant of the spammer.

This reviewer could be a competitor, a spammer, cybercriminal, or disgruntled ex-customer. They could be motivated by revenge, profit, or control.

Here's an case.

Mark Jackson, founder of Vizion Interactive, wrote a scathing post about a review platform. That post led to Google taking action confronting the review platform. The owners of that review platform retaliated confronting his visitor posting negative non-client reviews on Yelp and other platforms.

Accept a wait.

So how practice you handle these reviewers? Yous call them out with facts and you lot share evidence. Here'southward a response template you tin use to practice that.

This review is fake.

Nosotros don't accept any clients with the proper name [ Client Business ]. And we don't serve whatsoever clients in the [ industry ]. We've only ever focused on clients in the [ your ] industry.

This review is faux news.

Nosotros've received threatening emails from a competitor who is looking to punish us for a post we wrote exposing unethical behavior at their company. Here'due south a screenshot: [ link ].

Nosotros've never worked with anyone by the name of "[ Reviewer proper noun ]"

This review is misleading.

It's incorrect for the post-obit reasons.

• [ Concise list of reasons ]

We've requested that [ review site ] remove this fraudulent review.

[ Director proper name | contact number ]

Why these templates piece of work:

It'southward a factual account that's combined with a story. Information technology gives readers (and prospects) a compelling reason to believe you instead of your negative reviewer. Information technology also (ideally) gives them facts and evidence to hang their belief on.

What well-nigh COVID-related negative reviews

Accept a await at this review.

This was during the heart of the pandemic.

This review is a disaster, especially equally most hotels are struggling to return to business as usual. The client offered a valid concern. Hotel staff decided against wearing their masks, it wasn't an isolated incident, information technology just wasn't mandated past management.

How did the hotel respond?

They argued with the customer. They became defensive, telling customers that they're following state mandates (in all caps). Merely that isn't the problem here.

It's comforting customers.

If y'all'd similar customers of all stripes to do business organization with you, there needs to exist some wiggle room on the rules that you lot choose to follow. Some customers may feel comfortable without masks, others experience it's an important requirement that's necessary for the rubber and well-beingness of anybody in the edifice.

If you'd like to keep your business concern going, you may need to detect a way to accommodate everyone. Or find a way to segment customers who aren't a fit for your values and norms (which may be catastrophic for your concern).

How should y'all respond?

Assuming that you'd like to maximize the number of customers, you lot bring in to your business?

Well, it's a proficient thought to:

1. Consistently reaffirm your stance on hygiene, condom, and policy
2. Outline how your employees follow these policies
3. Repent for lapses or failure points when reviewers point them out
4. Brand any lapse in judgment right with customers
5. Consistently update customers on the changing mandates and requirements via social media and e-mail
6. Provide customers with a way to opt-out of any required mandates (e.g., delivery, online orders, curbside assistance, etc.).

If y'all'd like to keep customers on the same page, you may need to accept a more prudent approach with all of your customers.

What if you lot can't say 'sorry'?

Ah aye, the elephant in the room.

There are instances where you tin't or shouldn't say sorry because it forces you to bargain with the legalities of that decision in other ways. What does this mean in the context of online reviews?

Information technology means in that location are legal consequences for saying "sorry."

Peter Rehm and Denise Beatty, in their search report, " The Legal Consequences of Apologizing " outline the benefits of apologizing.

"It is hard for the injuring person to maintain self-respect in the presence of those who were injured.  An amends can reestablish this self-respect. The failure to apologize, or disability to apologize successfully can lead to strained relationships, grudges and vengeance.

Something magical happens, even so, when nosotros apologize to those we accept hurt. A sincere apology, tendered and accepted, can heal humiliation and generate forgiveness. The sincere apology includes: (i.) credence of responsibility for incorrect-doing; (ii.) an caption for the law-breaking; (3.) communication that the offensive behavior was non intended every bit a personal affront; and (four.) the expression of genuine, soul-searching regret, communicating guilt, feet, and shame."

At this point, your attorneys or in-house legal teams are pulling their hair out. 'You lot can't say sorry, it's an admission of guilt that establishes a claim!'

If you admit guilt, it'south an admission of wrongdoing and any lawsuit confronting you is an automatic slam dunk.

That's the fright, right?

Well, their report looks at several worst case scenarios.

Medical malpractice claims.

They looked at several cases where doctors admitted to making serious mistakes while caring for their patients.

What did they find?

1. Apology for a serious mistake during surgery did non establish any chemical element of a malpractice merits.

"Plaintiffs, supposedly armed with an amends, must bear witness their cases only equally if the apology did not exist . A mere apology does not prove any of the elements of the example because evidence about detail medical facts or events is still missing from the plaintiff's case. Since a mere apology pertains to a doc'south self-image and feelings, it is not evidence of any item medical fact or effect. This leaves the plaintiff legally in the same position as 1 who did not receive an apology." – emphasis added.

If a customer wants to sue y'all, you're in the same gunkhole legally, whether you lot apologize or not.

2. Apology for the inadequate outcome of a medical procedure was not an admission of liability.

"It appears safe for a practitioner to apologize for an inadequate result or result, as long as there is no admission that the inadequate effect was caused by the practioner's negligence. It appears that at that place is an agreement that the issue of an operation is not guaranteed, not every functioning will be successful, and an apology for the inadequacy of an operation does not hateful the doc is liable for negligence."

This obviously isn't enough to convince legal.

But what if Rehm and Beatty are right? What if an apology is the right matter to do and it helps you avoid litigation? Information technology seems like an apology isn't plenty for a plaintiff to win their example.

What if legal still says No?

Is in that location a fashion for you lot to restore the relationship with unhappy customers without admitting fault or negligence? What can be washed to show customers that you truly care most their concerns?

Here are a few ideas.

Review response template #9: Empathize, hope to investigate, then study back with a solution

Here'southward a template you can use to do just that.

Hi [ Reviewers Proper name ],

This is rough. Information technology'south really upsetting to hear that you had this kind of experience. Would you be willing to contact me directly to share the specifics of your state of affairs? If what you're proverb is authentic, heads will roll.

Please let united states of america make this right for you lot.

[ Manager name | contact number ]

Why this template works

This template puts you and the customer on the same team. It unites the both of you lot against the problem instead of the usual us vs. them dynamic. The best function nearly this is, information technology isn't an admission of guilt or negligence. Your customers see that you're alarmed and your willingness to concord your squad accountable shines through.

The commitment takes dash but when it works, information technology'due south a fantastic mode to restore the human relationship.

A word of caution.

Use this approach sparingly. Information technology tends to turn your customers into tattletales when it'southward overused. This creates an adversarial relationship between your employees and your customers.

That's no expert.

Utilise it well but make information technology articulate that you're on the side of what'southward right whether that'southward for or against your customer.

Review response template #10-11: Prepare the obvious, investigate the nuanced.

Here's a template you tin can employ to do that:

[ Reviewers Name ],

If you lot were promised [offer] but you received [negative issue] , that'southward non okay. Delight achieve out to me and I'll take care of this personally. As far as the other [negative outcome] yous've experienced, tin can y'all give me more details?

I desire to brand certain I address these issues for you so y'all don't accept to deal with this again.

Please let us make this right for you.

[ Manager name | contact number ]

Hither's another template you tin can use:

[ Reviewers Name ],

My proper name is [First, Final Name] , I'one thousand the [title] at [company] .

My tummy hitting the floor when I read your review. This is not the kind of feel you should have with our [business] . Would you allow me to accept care of this personally for yous? If what y'all're telling me is true, what you've experienced is an absolute disaster.

Delight contact me so we can fix this for you.

[ Manager proper noun | contact number ]

Why these templates work

This template provides customers with quick wins — this is precisely the kind of affair you lot demand to restore trust. If in that location are legitimate complaints, you lot tin can fix them without an access of guilt or negligence. Fix all of the piffling issues outset and provide customers with updates for each.

Do this while you're investigating and working on the bigger issues at play.

Restoring the relationship doesn't have to put you in legal hot water. I realize that every industry is different (or that attorneys believe that) so you'll want to brand certain y'all're working with your squad on this.

If they're not convinced apologies are okay, go with it.

Find means to restore the relationship and avoid going confronting their recommendations.

How do y'all answer to negative reviews?

Negative reviews present an opportunity, and well-nigh of the time, customers just want their problem solved or want your empathy when they've felt slighted.

If you ignore their negative review, you're presenting yourself equally an system that doesn't care about your customers.

If you don't know that you're receiving a negative review, that responsibleness falls on you.

Prospective buyers use these negative reviews as profiling tools. Straightforward tools they use to evaluate your business. I'm not pretending that negative reviews are good for your concern. They're not positive reviews (which you should also respond to). Only they aren't a fatal blow either.

Bated from taking the time to work with your unhappy customers (and sometimes getting them to modify a bad review ), when you generate positive reviews , you tin can first the damage. Asking for and earning positive reviews with email review requests or text messages tin can provide a chip of a moat from the one-off unhappy customers.

Every bit you lot address the negative feedback that's impacted your company, program on customizing these negative review response templates. If your response comes off every bit purely templated, your angry and upset customers will see that. So will other customers that are thinking about buying from you lot.

You'll have the tools you demand to respond to a negative review appropriately.

Andrew McDermott

Andrew McDermott is the co-founder of HooktoWin. He shows entrepreneurs how to attract and win new customers.

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Source: https://blog.grade.us/review-response-templates-negative-reviews/

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