The Business environment has become very dynamic today. It is no longer confined to the four walls of office space. The horizon of business operation has moved beyond the regular working in a designated office environment. With the incorporation of internet technology, the business has become global. With popularity comes negative sentiments. Negative reviews about business harm the reputation of the business environment. If you Google your business you might find both positive and negative reviews about it. While the positive reviews would give you joy and satisfaction, the negative reviews would be a cause of misery and a challenge. It takes the outlook of a challenge because you need to overcome them to attain success. 

We are all familiar with the phrase ‘Failures are the pillars of success. Therefore negative reviews give you a better idea about your business. You get to recognize your faults and attain them easily. Moreover, it will also highlight the fact that you are wanting to improve your client satisfaction criterion. Following is the reason how you should respond to negative reviews-

Maintain Authenticity and Integrity in your Answer

You might find negative reviews about your company’s services. Don’t get perturbed after reading the reviews. Your responsibility as a business owner is client satisfaction. However, there may be clients to whom there is no limit to satisfaction. Their objective may be to criticize your business. Thus while replying to them maintain authenticity and integrity. Do not lose your temper and give an emotional or angry reply. Maintain your position and talk in facts and figures. 

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Accept and Analyze Your Faults

While replying to negative reviews, analyze if you have made a mistake. If you feel you have, then accept your faults immediately. That would create an endearing image for the customers. They would realize that you are in for the long haul. They would appreciate the fact that you recognize your faults and you are making an effort to rectify them. 

Have a Sense of Humour while giving the replies

As a business owner, you are required to possess a sharp mind and a quick wit. Therefore when you see a negative review, don’t get puzzled. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you. Analyze the situation and give a cheeky reply. Do not compromise on your position if you find that you have no-fault. The customer would realize that it was only a failed attempt on his or her part to sabotage your business. 

Respond as Soon as Possible

Your response time determines your seriousness. For example- a customer posted a negative review on your business website. If you respond to that a week later, it shows you are disregarding the criticism. If you respond to it immediately and get the matter resolved, the customer would understand that you are serious about your business. 

Thank them for providing a review

It is one of the main mantras to success. Thank a customer for posting a negative review. Even if the review was negative, the customer took some time to write it. Appreciate that gesture by the customers. It shows that you appreciate their feedback. It also shows that you can handle criticism and have the acumen required to overcome stiff challenges. 

Apologize and Offer a Solution

All it takes is one sincere apology and many problems are solved. Adopt this approach as a business owner. Understanding your faults is critical for the development of your business. If you do not pay heed to the negative reviews, it will permanently damage your relationship with the customer. Apologizing for a mistake and analyzing your mistake is very important. Try to reach out to the customer. Understand where the grievance lies and then take an approach to resolve the issue. 

Make sure they know how to reach you

A common frustration among the customers is that although they write about their grievances, no effort is undertaken to solve their problems. Don’t inspire such sentiment among the customers. Respond to the reviews immediately. Provide your contact information so that the customer can reach you easily. Make yourself available to the customer. Maintain direct communication with the customer. It will make them realize that you value their feedback even if it is negative. 

Therefore adopt a flexible approach when dealing with negative reviews. Remember that it is such reviews that would help your business organization grow and diversify. Be responsive to the errors you might have committed while marketing the product to the customer. Understand their grievance and provide a suitable solution. 

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