It would be fair to say that the internet has changed the way we have done business. Previously, it may have taken years for word to get out about a company’s poor reputation, but nowadays one only has to search for a scam online, to see review after review on Google about the company in question and how they aren’t treating customers appropriately.
Sometimes, a simple refund will rectify the situation, but there’s no doubting that things can get out of hand quickly and it’s not been unheard of for the BBB to be informed. From this point on things go downhill quickly, and they will check people and their comments as a matter of urgency to get to the bottom of things.
In a bid to help you and your company not fall into this trap, we have penned the following guide. We will now look at some of the ways you can stay on top of your company’s online reputation to make sure none of the above affects you.
Always respond to customer’s reviews individually
This is something that you will have to tackle as a habit. In other words, if you don’t do it currently, it will take a while before you get used to the habit of replying to each and every customer that leaves a review.
While some customers who leave negative feedback aren’t going to be at all interested in your response, others will take it on-board and it might diffuse the situation somewhat.
Additionally, your responses are there for all to see. It means that when a new customer is researching whether or not to buy from your organization, they can see that you take pride in your customer service by individually replying to comments. In the long-term, this can serve you particularly well.
Remember the power of bad press
There will be some customers who are so aggrieved at the service they have received that they will constantly be in contact with your company. Most of the time, this contact occurs in the public domain, which is damaging to say the least.
Regardless of whether you agree with their views or not, it is sometimes worth stepping back and questioning just how much this debate is worth. This isn’t just about the products that they have purchased, it’s also about ones that future customers haven’t yet bought. It’s not a matter of a single product, you’ve got to consider if the bad press is going to affect sales in the future.
If this is the case, you should attempt to settle it as soon as you possibly can, even if this comes at a cost.
The power of validation
There will be some occasions where competitors leave negative reviews in a bid to sabotage your company. This is where you really should look to check people who have left the reviews at any opportunity. Check to see if an order really does exist in their name and if it doesn’t, make it public. Sure, you have to be careful about this as you don’t want the general public to feel as though you are “brushing” everything off, but quick validation is all that is required.
