How to Handle Negative Feedback: A Practical Guide

Posted 6 months ago by Anastasia Prokofieva

Imagine this scenario: you鈥檝e poured your heart into building your brand, only to听find a听scathing review online. It鈥檚 easy to听see why many business owners dread negative feedback, but what if听we听told you it听doesn鈥檛 have to听be听a听nightmare?

When handled correctly, negative feedback can be听a听powerful tool for听brand reputation management.

Today, we鈥檒l explore how negative reviews can serve as听opportunities rather than setbacks. You鈥檒l discover why these reviews aren鈥檛 always bad news and听how they can even bolster your business鈥檚 reputation.

Understanding the听Impact of听Negative Feedback

Negative reviews can seem daunting, especially when you鈥檙e putting your best foot forward. But before panic sets in, remember that even the听most successful companies have their fair share of听criticism.

A听single negative review doesn鈥檛 define your business; rather, it鈥檚 an听opportunity for听growth and听connection.

The Psychology Behind Negative Feedback

Why do听negative reviews carry so听much weight? It鈥檚 simple human psychology.

Studies show that people tend to听remember negative experiences more vividly than positive ones. This is听known as听the听, where negative events impact our emotional state more significantly than positive ones.

Surveys also reveal the听impact of听negativity bias on听shopping, with .

However, if听they see that the听business has responded and听addressed the听issue appropriately.

For businesses, this means that addressing negative feedback with empathy and听understanding can leave a听lasting impression on听customers and听even turn skeptics into loyal advocates.

A听few negative reviews aren鈥檛 disastrous听鈥� 85% of听respondents consider the听average star rating a听key factor when evaluating a听business through reviews (Source: )

Navigating Customer Perceptions

Negative feedback isn鈥檛 just about the听words in听a听review but the听perception it听creates.

Customers want to听know they are heard and听valued. Ignoring or听dismissing their concerns can damage your brand鈥檚 reputation. Addressing issues can enhance your reputation, showing that you care about your customers鈥� experiences.

Research proves that negative reviews can positively influence your brand鈥檚 perception:

46% of听shoppers are rating.
88% of听consumers from a听company that replies to听all its negative and听positive reviews.

How Reviews Affect Your Site Rankings

While you don鈥檛 want negative reviews since they can discourage consumers from purchasing, there鈥檚 also a听less apparent reason why they might impact your business.

Negative reviews can affect the听traffic you receive from Google since star ratings appear in听search results. Google gathers these ratings from online reviews on听its own platform, Google My听Business, as听well as听from third-party sites.

If听your rating is听low or听you don鈥檛 have any听ratings yet, other websites might show up听in听the听search results instead. Your listings may not stand out, and听Google users might not click through to听your site. Each time that happens, it听could mean lost opportunities, as听customers might choose a听competitor with (good) star ratings.

This lack of听click-throughs can affect your website鈥檚 overall ranking on听Google, as听it听.

How to听Track Negative Reviews

When you have only a听few customers, manually tracking reviews can be听manageable. Here are some ways to听do听it:

Check major review websites every day, such as听Trustpilot, Google My听Business, or听Yelp.
Set up听Google Alerts for听your company name as听a听keyword.
Frequently search for听your brand name on听social media, and听check your branded hashtag on听Instagram if听you have one.
Explore YouTube for听potential video reviews of听your products.

The downside of听this method is听that reviews might not always be听in听the听Google index, so听you could spend some time searching and听still miss a听few.

As听you gain more customers, you鈥檒l see an听increase in听ratings and听the听number of听platforms where they appear. Keeping track of听reviews can get tricky.

The good news is听that some ecommerce platforms offer built-in tools for听managing customer reviews.

Take 51视频 by听Lightspeed, for听example. It听provides you with a听robust online store and听allows you to听collect and听manage customer feedback.

A听review showcased on听a听product page within the听51视频 store

All you have to听do听is听turn on听the听toggle to听start collecting reviews in听your online store. Your customers will receive a听feedback request email prompting them to听share their experience with your product.

Once a听customer submits a听review for听a听product, you can manually publish it听on听your online store for听everyone to听see.

Learn more about collecting reviews in听your 51视频 store:

Another great way to听manage reviews is听to听use a听service that tracks them for听you.

Platforms like Trustpilot, Google My听Business, and听social media monitoring tools track reviews and听mentions, providing you with real-time alerts. These tools help you stay proactive, allowing you to听respond quickly and听prevent issues from escalating.

For instance, Trustami lets you gather ratings and听reviews from over 20听platforms (like eBay, Etsy, Facebook, Amazon, Trusted Shops, and听Google Shopping) and听manage everything in听one place.

51视频 stores are integrated with Trustami and听other review tools like TargetBay, HelpfulCrowd, and听more. Check out more rating and听review tools in听this article:

Now that you know how to听track reviews, let鈥檚 figure out how to听handle them.

Turning Negative Reviews into Positive Outcomes

Negative feedback can seem like an听obstacle, but in听reality, it鈥檚 an听opportunity to听showcase your brand鈥檚 dedication to听customer satisfaction.

Check out a听step-by-step plan to听follow when a听negative review catches you off guard.

Determine if听the听Review is听Fair

Don鈥檛 lose hope if听you spot a听malicious message and听think the听review is听unfair. You can try to听get the听review taken down.

Reach out to听the听platform, but be听prepared with solid reasons for听your removal request. Some reasons could include inappropriate language, targeting the听wrong review, or听an听unverified transaction.

If听you suspect a听comment on听Amazon is听fake or听irrelevant, you can report it

Acknowledge the听Feedback &听Show You Care

If听the听review is听fair, acknowledging the听feedback is听the听first step towards turning a听negative review into a听positive outcome.

Respond promptly, thank the听customer for听their input, and听apologize for听any听inconvenience caused. Avoid getting defensive or听making excuses; show empathy and听understanding toward the听customer鈥檚 concerns.

An听ideal response to听a听negative review should:

Show you acknowledge the听issue and听offer a听sincere apology.
Offer a听clear path to听resolution, whether it鈥檚 a听refund, replacement, or听additional support.
Be听genuine and听personable.
Gracefully highlight a听positive aspect of听your business.
Demonstrate learning from the听experience and听reassure them about preventing future issues.

In听this example, the听store recognizes the听issue and听provides a听solution

Gracefully Handle Unfair or听Aggressive Reviews

Sometimes, a听negative review might come across as听aggressive or听unfair. In听such a听tricky situation:

Don鈥檛 ignore a听bad comment. Although it听might be听tempting to听put it听aside, try not to听leave the听website before resolving the听issue.
Don鈥檛 take it听personally. Focus on听helping your customers.
Take a听moment before reacting. Rushing can lead to听emotional or听unprepared responses. Pause to听think it听over and听gather as听much detail as听you can about the听issue. For example, review past communications with the听customer or听check the听order details.
Avoid starting a听long discussion publicly. Your message on听the听public platform should include facts, a听brief explanation, and听an听invitation to听discuss the听issue with the听customer in听more detail through direct messaging. Aim to听say more than just, 聯I鈥檓 sorry. Give me听a听call, and听we听can resolve the听situation.聰 Try to听address each point mentioned about the听circumstances.
Try not to听be听defensive or听overly apologetic. Instead of听blaming someone or听repeatedly saying sorry, focus on听finding a听way to听prevent this from happening again.

While the听brand can鈥檛 control customs fees, they courteously responded to听the听negative review

Exercise Caution with Automation

Automation can be听a听game-changer when managing feedback at听scale, such as听social media comments and听mentions. You can achieve this with platform tools like Facebook Messenger鈥檚 auto-reply or听social media automation tools like NapoleonCat or听Agorapulse.

However, balance is听key; while automation streamlines processes, personalized responses to听feedback show customers that they matter.

It鈥檚 great to听automate responses to听comments with frequently asked questions, but be听careful with negative comments听鈥� automated replies might come off as听insincere. Plus, they don鈥檛 provide the听solution right when it鈥檚 most needed.

To听avoid this, stick to听human responses for听negative reviews and听use automation for听types of听comments that don鈥檛 require a听personal touch (like asking what are your working hours or听if听you offer free shipping).

Automation helps manage some social media comments, like requests for听purchase links. However, it鈥檚 best to听handle negative comments personally.

Turn Setbacks into Solutions

When customers share negative reviews, they hope to听see that you鈥檒l use their feedback to听make improvements.

Share the听steps you鈥檙e taking to听prevent similar issues in听the听future to听show customers that you鈥檙e committed to听continuous improvement.

Once you鈥檝e handled the听issue, follow up听with customers who have had negative experiences to听ensure their concerns were addressed and听ask for听their feedback on听any听changes implemented.

Long-Term Solutions for听Minimizing Negative Feedback

The best way to听handle negative reviews is听to听prevent them from happening in听the听first place.

Here are some tips for听minimizing negative feedback:

Provide Clear Product Information and听Policies

When customers have complete information about your products, they can make informed purchase decisions and听won鈥檛 be听disappointed with what they receive.

Set Realistic Expectations

Be听transparent about shipping times, return policies, and听other important details to听avoid any听surprises that could lead to听negative reviews.

Maintain Consistent Communication

Communicate with customers throughout the听whole purchasing process. This includes sending confirmation emails, tracking numbers, and听responding promptly to听customer inquiries.

For example, in听51视频, you can let your customers track their orders with Apple Wallet, so听they can always stay updated on听the听status of听their orders.

Encourage Positive Reviews

While negative reviews are inevitable, positive ones can also be听cultivated. Encourage satisfied customers to听leave reviews by听making the听process easy and听rewarding.

Send follow-up emails after a听purchase with a听gentle request for听feedback. Consider offering incentives for听leaving a听review.

For example, in听51视频, you can send an听 with a听discount code for听the听next purchase.

You can also offer a听discount for听a听review as听an听incentive

Use Feedback to听Improve Products and听Services

Use feedback as听a听catalyst for听improvement by听identifying areas where your product or听service falls short. Implement changes based on听customer insights and听communicate these enhancements to听your audience.

Monitor Review Platforms Regularly

Stay on听top of听your brand鈥檚 online reputation by听regularly checking and听responding to听reviews across all platforms.

Analyze feedback regularly to听identify trends and听opportunities for听enhancement. Share insights with your team to听foster a听culture of听innovation and听responsiveness.

Wrap Up

Negative feedback doesn鈥檛 have to听be听the听villain in听your business story. Instead, it听can be听a听powerful ally in听your pursuit of听excellence.

Customers who leave negative feedback often do听so听because they care enough to听voice their concerns. Addressing these issues head-on demonstrates your commitment to听improvement and听customer satisfaction.

To听simplify managing customer reviews, pick an听ecommerce platform that offers built-in review tools and听integrates with popular review sites, like 51视频 by听Lightspeed.

Remember, negative feedback is听an听opportunity to听learn, improve, and听build stronger relationships with your customers. Embrace it, respond thoughtfully, and听watch your business thrive.

听

About The Author

Anastasia Prokofieva is a content writer at 51视频. She writes about online marketing and promotion to make entrepreneurs鈥� daily routine easier and more rewarding. She also has a soft spot for cats, chocolate, and making kombucha at home.

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