I think it's pretty safe to say that - no business is ever happy to get a negative review. It can be really tough, but they’re a part of running things in today’s online world. 

How you handle these reviews can change everything.

Think about it this way: a doctor gets a bad review about their service, or a restaurant owner sees a complaint about a dish. How they respond will either make things better or much worse.

The Economy of Trust and Online Reviews

These days, trust is a big deal for businesses. When people see negative reviews, it can easily change how they feel about your business. Did you know that most people avoid a business if they see even one bad review? Reviews are the new way people talk about businesses, and they can make or break your reputation.

Managing Negative Reviews: Steps for Businesses

1. Stay Calm and Don’t Respond Hastily

It’s natural to feel upset when you see a negative review, but don’t react right away. Take a few deep breaths and calm down first. Remember, your reply will be seen by other potential customers, so you want it to be thoughtful and not rushed.

2. Have The Right Person Investigate and Respond

It’s best to have a senior team member or anybody best suited handle negative reviews. This person should look into what happened in detail. Maybe they can check with the staff involved or look at customer records to understand the situation. Having someone in charge of these responses helps keep things consistent and professional.

3. Respond Promptly but Investigate First

Customers want to know that you’re listening, so it’s good to reply quickly. But don’t rush into a response before checking all the facts. Make sure you know exactly what went wrong so that you can address it properly in your reply. This makes your response more genuine and helpful.

4. Prepare for Further Attacks

Sometimes, a polite reply might lead to more complaints or even a back-and-forth argument. Be ready for this and stay calm no matter what. Never get into a fight with a customer online because it can make your business look bad.

5. Use an Empathetic and Personable Tone

Show empathy in your response. Let the customer know that you’re sorry they had a bad experience. Even if you think they’re wrong, it’s important to acknowledge their feelings. Saying something like, “We’re really sorry to hear about your experience. We want to make it right,” shows that you care about their opinion.

6. Offer to Discuss the Complaint Privately

After you’ve responded publicly, invite the customer to take the conversation offline. You can say something like, “We’d love to discuss this with you personally; please give us a call or send us an email.” This way, you show that you’re serious about fixing the issue without making it a big public debate.

7. Encourage More Positive Reviews

One negative review shouldn’t be the end of your good reputation. Ask your happy customers to share their positive experiences. The more good reviews you have, the less impact the bad ones will have. Plus, seeing a lot of positive feedback can encourage new customers to give you a chance.

Quick tip: Use Cheers to help you easily ask for reviews right when customers are most satisfied. This can help you gather lots of good reviews to balance out any negative ones.

8. Request Review Site to Remove Fake Reviews

Sometimes, you might get reviews that are fake or left by someone who never used your service. In these cases, contact the review site and ask them to remove the review. Most sites have ways to flag reviews that seem suspicious or untrue.

9. Seek Legal Advice if Necessary

If you get a review that really hurts your business and you think it’s unfair or false, it might be a good idea to talk to a lawyer. They can help you understand your rights and the best steps to take. This should be a last resort, but it’s good to know you have options.

Conclusion

Dealing with negative reviews isn’t easy, but it's important not to take them too personally. Focus on being accountable and finding ways to learn from the situation. Look into what went wrong and see if there’s anything you could do to avoid it happening again. 

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a customer might still leave a negative review. 

And that’s okay - you can't make everyone happy, and not every review will be fair.

If most of your reviews are positive, then a few negatives won't weigh you down too much; they’ll actually show that your business is authentic and honest. But if you notice similar complaints coming up, it’s a sign that you might need to adjust your processes. Own up to the issues, make improvements, and turn that feedback into an opportunity to grow. Some of the best success stories come from businesses that learned from criticism and used it to make a comeback.

And don’t forget, managing reviews doesn’t have to be a solo effort. With Cheers, you can get reviews from your customers with a single phone tap. 

This simply makes the review process easier, turning even the most critical feedback into a chance to build stronger customer relationships and a better business reputation.