When it comes to determining the reputation of a company, there is no better place to look for this information than the reviews posted on their website. Understandably, business leaders strive to gain as many positive reviews as possible. However, what if you were told that negative reviews are just and sometimes better than positive reviews?
Identifying Problems
As the old saying goes, it’s never good to rest on your laurels. This is because complacency can turn into bad work really quickly. A negative review might be upsetting at first. After all, who wants to be told they are doing a bad job? But this is not the mindset to have when you receive a negative review. Instead, take the time to research and determine exactly what part of your business process led to this bad customer experience. Responding to the review and providing them with a private way to talk about their experience is important, because it opens up a dialogue between you and the customer. Doing so will help you identify problems that will deter any other issues from happening in the future.
Altering Perspectives
If there is one thing you can count on its other people watching how you react to a negative review. A potential customer might be wary about doing business with you due to a few negative reviews, but how to respond can instantly alter their perspective of your company. Good responses to negative reviews will cause potential customers and clients to view your business in a positive light, even if it doesn’t manage to change the mind of the reviewer. Acknowledging the situation as well as taking the proper steps to make it right shows the character of your business.
Potential Innovation
Not all negative reviews are going to involve people bashing your product. Many of them will go along the lines of “Good product, but it could be better.” Don’t view this as a negative review rather as a review with constructive criticism. Utilize their comment to your customers about how your product could be better. Your customers are the best group to take suggestions from, as they are the ones who are going to be purchasing your product.
Employee Performance Audit
Most employees are going to put on a smile and work hard in front of you; after all, they don’t want to lose their jobs. As you may be aware, there are certain people who might not be the most productive when you are away. Using negative reviews, you can then begin to see which employees are going above and beyond and which are doing less than the minimum. You can then use this information to either make a personal change within the company or use it as an educational tool to inform other employees about the things they should avoid doing.
Business is complicated; not everything is black and white. This is especially true when it comes to your reputation online. Though the goal is always to have customers leave a positive comment, you will, on occasion, see a negative review. Use the tips listed above to begin finding the silver lining within your negative reviews.
