If you’re a business or company owner, or just someone whose business is handling company reputations, then you know how important online reviews are. For almost any modern-day business, reviews are a great way to build a reputation and rapport with your customer base. Since it’s so easy to check business reviews with the swipe of a finger or the click of a button, most customers read reviews when they’re deciding on a business. That’s why you may think of the possibility of receiving a bad review with dread and – should it become a reality – feel that the best first line of defense against a negative review is to get rid of it ASAP!

There’s a time and place for deleting reviews – but we’re not quite there yet! Take a step back, breathe, and don’t panic. Everyone receives bad reviews, and with a bit of calm thinking and good business practice, you can make the best of them. Here’s how:

Step One: Confirm It!

If you’ve just received a bad review, regardless of the medium, your first priority should be to confirm whether or not the complaint is real. If you cannot verify the reviewer’s identity from their review, make sure to request that they send details to you (via a private message or call!) in your first response.

Step Two: Respond to it!

Regardless of whether or not the reviewer is a real customer, and/or their complaint is valid, it is the company’s responsibility to reply to the review. Doing so in a calm, polite, and professional manner is of utmost importance, as is doing so swiftly – don’t let a bad review sit and fester.

Even if the review was from a ‘troll’ or someone just looking to ruin your business’s reputation, you want to respond in the same manner. However, if the review is not legitimate, you’ll want to first take the time to flag or report the review. Most reviewing platforms (Yelp, Google, etc.) will allow you to flag inappropriate or fraudulent reviews for take-down, but there’s still the possibility that someone will be reading that review in the meantime: so get your social media guru on it.

Here’s a solid list of Do’s and ‘Don’ts for writing replies to bad reviews.

DO

Respond within 24 hours of the original post
Reply in a calm, professional manner
Accept responsibility and sincerely apologize for any dissatisfaction the customer had
Request they provide the necessary details for you to identify their customer history
Offer to fix the issue or make amends in some other way
Follow through – if at all possible, you want the reviewer to write a follow-up indicating their satisfaction with your company’s response

DO NOT

Ignore bad reviews
Flag all bad reviews, not just fake ones
Write long-winded responses justifying your business’s decision and denying wrongdoing
Attempt to place blame on the reviewer
Buy or write your own fake good reviews to try to make your business look good

Step Three: Learn From It!

No business wants to see bad reviews, but there’s something to be learned from them. Reviews give your customers a chance to express what they both liked and disliked about their experience with a business. This lets your business build a reputation from gushing customers, and also allows customers to provide invaluable feedback that may help a business grow and improve. As long as you know how to handle bad reviews, there’s no reason why they should hurt your relationship with your customers.

Don’t Delete Bad Reviews!