So, you’ve been publicly flamed. Don’t worry – you’re not alone. There are two kinds of businesses: those that have suffered a negative feedback problem, and those that haven’t yet.
We’d like to invite you to become a different kind of business. One that can see the value of negative feedback and isn’t afraid of it.
You might be wondering how there can possibly be any value in negative feedback. After all, in a world that thrives on likes, hearts, and upward-pointing thumbs, it probably sounds counter-intuitive. Or just plain daft. But in our view, negative reviews are a rich source of insights and opportunities for growth.
There are few moments more satisfying than turning a dissatisfied customer into a vocal advocate, and other customers will respond very positively to the sight. It’s also the point at which a long-time, loyal customer might turn their back on you permanently. So, you need to take this stuff seriously.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at why negative customer feedback is nothing to be scared of.
The good, the bad, and the ugly
There’s one obvious and sometimes overlooked benefit of getting some less-than-perfect review: credibility. At some point or other, most of us have looked at a flawless set of 5-star reviews and thought, “nah!”
If it all looks too good to be true, some people will inevitably question the authenticity of your reviews. Allowing the world to see your negative reviews alongside your positive ones, will balance things out and make it look like you’ve got nothing to hide. It will show that your reviews are genuine, which will help to foster trust and loyalty.
Can we fix it?
Publishing your negative reviews is only the start. The most important thing you can do is respond appropriately. The word ‘respond’ is key here. Don’t just reply and then move on, and don’t react in the heat of the moment. Instead, assess what’s happened and what needs to be done to fix the problem and repair the relationship with the customer.
Let’s imagine something has gone wrong with a customer’s order. Whether it’s your fault or not, this is your chance to show people what you’re made of. Get to the bottom of things on the customer’s behalf. Was it a delivery problem? If so, speak to your courier or logistics team. Figure out how you’ll stop this particular issue from happening again. If your business responds to a negative review by addressing the problem, it will demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Acknowledgements eat apologies for breakfast
To apologise or not to apologise? That is the question. Car insurers and injury lawyers will have their own views on that one. But in this context, we’re not thinking about liability or culpability, just how you should respond to an unhappy customer.
So, the answer is clear – say you’re sorry. Right? Well, kind of. The trick here is don’t just say you’re sorry. Accept responsibility for fixing things. Acknowledge the customer’s disappointment. These are actions that matter more than an apology.
Also, maintain a sense of proportion and focus. While you ought to do as much as is reasonably expected to make things right for the affected customer, your priority is to identify improvements in your overall service. That way you can confidently say you won’t let it happen again – to anyone.
What have you done to deserve this?
Once you’ve fixed the situation you should ask why a customer felt the need to leave you a critical review. Was it their first response to a problem, or had they tried to resolve things with you directly? This is an important question to ask and an even more important one to answer.
If a customer has tried to engage with you and ask for help, but they still felt justified in leaving a negative review, it means you’ve missed a chance to fix things. You can’t allow that kind of mistake to go unchecked. So, find out what happened.
It could be that your internal comms processes aren’t working, and complaints aren’t being escalated. That might be a technical problem – emails and messages not being routed properly, that sort of thing.
It might be that your customer service agents need training on how to help customers or how to escalate matters that they can’t resolve. If your front-line support agents don’t feel adequately supported by their supervisors, they won’t feel confident about asking for help.
Exceptional customer service doesn’t only mean getting everything right first time. It means identifying areas for improvement, building trust by being authentic and turning unhappy customers into happy ones. Whatever it is that’s gone wrong, there is always going to be something you can learn from and something you can improve upon.
3 quick takeaways
Run toward problems:
Instead of ignoring or dismissing negative feedback, embrace it. It’s an opportunity to learn and to grow. Viewing negative reviews as constructive criticism helps you adopt a proactive mindset towards improvement.
Respond quickly and professionally:
Acknowledge the feedback in public and follow-up with the customer privately. Address their concerns empathetically and provide a resolution.
Take action and make improvements:
Negative feedback can be your blueprint for changing your products, services, and customer experience. Look for any recurring issues or patterns that you can see in negative reviews, then implement changes to prevent similar problems occurring in the future.
Here at Feefo, we’re the experts in helping businesses present themselves as trustworthy and customer-centric. We’re also well versed in helping organisations like yours adopt an open and accepting culture where customer feedback is concerned.
If that sounds like something that could help you, drop us a line – we’d love to talk.
