It’s very easy to take bad reviews too personally. And dealing with a bad review can also be aggravating. You can likely think of hundreds of other things you’d rather deal with than bad reviews.
But not everyone will leave a positive review. It just comes with the territory.
Slow radon mitigation installations. Poor crew performance. Delays. Sometimes, you haven't even heard of the person!
As a business owner, you take an immense amount of pride in what you do, which makes it easy to take it personally when you receive a bad review. You want to stand up for your company! But before you respond to a bad review, take a moment to collect yourself. Or, better yet, if you trust someone in your company to handle the reviews, have that individual respond instead.
But the way you respond is very important. In fact, you can use a bad review as a great opportunity to demonstrate that your brand will do the right thing.
Whether or not the mistake was your fault, you should handle a negative review appropriately. Use the following steps to turn a wrong into a right.
The Outline
With both positive and negative reviews, respond right away. An immediate response shows that you care about your customers.
Step 1:
If appropriate, apologize and show sympathy: “We’re sorry! This is not our usual quality, and your results should have not taken so long.”
Even if it was definitely not your business’s fault, at least acknowledge the problem. Say something along the lines of, “Your radon tests should not have taken so long to arrive. l will look into this specific situation.” or “Your technician should not have been late to provide your mitigation quote. I will look into this specific situation.”
Step 2:
Even if you know what happened, offer to learn more about the situation. Remember: Most of the people who read reviews of your business, including your response to negative comments, may be your future customers.
Step 3:
Take your response offline, and don’t start or carry on an online long discussion or “war.” Your future customers won’t care about the discussion. Give the customer who complained your contact information so they can reach out to you. Here’s an example of what NOT to do.
I don’t imagine that the customer, or any future customer who reads this discussion, will return to this company. This is a very harsh example, but you get the point.
If a customer is unhappy with the quality of a test, detector, or service, remember a few important points when responding.
- Even if you feel as if you are being trolled, understand that you CAN resolve this issue. How you respond to trolls or legitimate complaints can make or break your online reputation.
- If it turns out the mistake was your business’s fault, use it as a moment to teach a team member. However, never use a bad review as a way to shame an employee.
- As harsh as it may sound, your customers typically don’t care about the reasons why your product was slow or technician wasn’t thorough. To them, it just sounds like excuses. Avoid trying to supply reasons as to “why” it was bad.
Copy-and-Paste Examples:
How to Respond to Unsatisfactory Radon Level Reduction
Hello, [INSERT NAME]. We’re very sorry to hear that the radon levels in your home have not been reduced to your expectations. We understand the importance of ensuring a safe environment for you and your loved ones. Please email us at [INSERT EMAIL] so we can arrange a follow-up visit to reassess and resolve the issue. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
How to Respond to Equipment Malfunction
Hello, [INSERT NAME]. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the malfunction of the equipment installed at your property. Your safety and satisfaction are our top priorities, and it's clear we have fallen short in this instance. Could you please contact us at [INSERT EMAIL] at your earliest convenience? We are committed to correcting this issue promptly.
How to Respond to Disruption During Installation
Hello, [INSERT NAME]. We’re very sorry if the installation process caused any disruption in your home. We strive to ensure that our work is done efficiently and quietly, and we regret any disturbance we may have caused. Please let us make it right. You can reach out to us at [INSERT EMAIL] so we can discuss any concerns you may have and ensure everything is to your satisfaction.
Additional Statement for Delay-Related Complaints
We respect your time, and we’re extremely sorry we caused this delay. We are taking steps to ensure that it does not happen again and would like to discuss how we can make this right for you.
How to Respond If They Didn’t Leave A Comment
Hello, [INSERT NAME]. We noticed you left us a 1-star review, and we're truly sorry to see that you were dissatisfied with our service. We're committed to providing high-quality radon mitigation and it seems we fell short of that commitment in your case. We would greatly appreciate it if you could provide more details about your experience. Please contact us at [INSERT EMAIL] so we can understand how to improve and resolve any issues you might have faced. Thank you for your feedback, and we look forward to hearing from you.
