Negative reviews happen. Whether you’re a five-star restaurant or a home remodeling contractor, if you’re in business, you will receive a negative review at some point. So what do you do?
Do you respond defensively? I mean, this business is your pride and joy, your life. You work tirelessly, countless days, and endless hours. It’s natural to want to respond this way.
Do you ignore it? Delete it? Post a canned response that’s unrelated and generic?
The answer is… None of the Above.
You respond — you always respond — but you should respond in a positive way, which will impact the viewer much more than the negative review itself.
Here’s how to spin a negative review positively.
- Example 1: You handle a restaurant that just received a review on poor service and a meal that was not up to par with the consumer.
- Your Response: “I’m sorry to hear that your experience at our restaurant did not meet yours or our expectations. We would love for you to come back again and will take care of you. Please contact me at your convenience.”
- Example 2: You are a home remodeler who received a negative review from a person who had tried to contact you for a bid numerous times without a response.
- Your Response: “We apologize that your calls were not responded to. Please contact me directly if you are still looking for help, and I will be happy to help you.”
The negative reviewer may or may not ever take you up on your offer, BUT people will see that you acknowledged the negative review with concern and professionalism. It will show future readers that you tried to make a bad experience right.
And that will leave a longer-lasting impact than a negative review ever will.
