Negative Reviews On Your Facebook Page? Here’s What You Can Do…

Although it seems hard for some to understand (there seems to be much ignorance and zero compassion these days) businesses are run by? Human beings. Surprise!

Human beings are prone to making mistakes, we all are, yes even you reading this post right now, you can try to deny it, however it is written right into your DNA. Even the best and most efficiently run businesses get negative reviews. Your well-practiced processes can fail, a poor quality product can slip through the net or a staff member can have a really bad day.

What should you do when you get negative reviews on your Facebook page?

Should you ignore them?

Should you delete them?

Should you go on the defense?

We’ll explore some best practices below:

Your handling of critical reviews:

If you run a business, you are going to get unhappy customers. It is a part of life. Sweeping it under the carpet and pretending it never happened can erode customer trust and stall growth. Plus, as we often see, the customer will simply go elsewhere to vent their disgruntlement. There is no hiding from it in 2018.

If a reviewer had a genuinely negative experience, it is up to you to try and fix it as best you can. Mistakes happen, however how you handle them defines your company culture and the public’s perception. When (not if) that negative review appears, dissect the underlying problems and handle it with grace. What exactly is it that upset your customer and where did a break in process occur?

These reviews actually give you the chance to show that you are in business for more than just money – it is an ideal opportunity to highlight that you care about your customers and their experience of your product or service. We found an example of how a pub owner handled a negative review on their page.

If the review is critical yet constructive, acknowledge their point of view and try to get to the bottom of the situation.

Some of your reviewers may have experienced genuine dissatisfaction. Perhaps they were overcharged, the service took longer than expected, or the product was not as advertised.

Bottom line: They feel hurt and irritated.

Dismissing these types of reviews would not do your business any good, however if you work with them and find a reasonable compromise you can earn back their support.

Other negative reviews:

Not all the negative reviews you will receive will be constructive and how you handle them will depend on your brand values.

Sometimes a review will bring with it a slew of strong reactions including strong support for the reviewer and equally strong condemnation. There are also many trolls sitting on the sidelines, trawling social media, just waiting to pounce like a pack of wolves. Some will even try and get their finger in the pie by agreeing with the negativity even though they have never even visited your premises. In some cases their “bad” experience may have even occurred whilst the business was under previous management or they blatantly mix up the business they are trying to debunk.

Again, it is not all bad as the response to a critical review can serve to draw in customers that share your beliefs while keeping away those you would rather not deal with.

Reducing the chances of negative reviews:

There are a couple of simple things you can do and best practices you can follow which may reduce the chances of receiving a critical review.

Be REAL. Showcase your OWN products and services – never someone else’s pictures from the net unless it used appropriately and with the permission of the content owner. If you promote something of Facebook, make sure you deliver exactly what was shown as today’s consumer, especially Millennials, are unforgiving and extremely demanding.

Sometimes, the best you can do is let it go, remember that the overwhelming majority of the audience who read the review will see it for what it is, don’t worry about that. Not everyone will accept or take everything written in the review at face value, especially if you have an excellent overall rating. You can also report a malicious or fake review to Facebook. There is no guarantee that it will be removed; however if enough people report it, Facebook will.

If you tend to be too quick & reactive when receiving a negative review you may benefit from enlisting help from a professional Online Marketing Agency that specialises with online reputation management. Remember that the aim of any good online marketer is to have a measurable return on the investment you are making in them, so they should make (not cost) you money.

Transparency on Social Media

A successful social media account relies on trust from your page followers. If you dismiss negative reviews you are slowly eroding trust and swapping it for convenience.  Addressing any issues with genuine concern shows potential customers that you care.

Do you feel the same?  Take a minute to stop and think about this the next time you receive a negative review.