Roofers: Here’s How to Respond to Negative Google Reviews
One of the most pressing questions I get from prospective clients is about how to respond to a negative review on Google My Business. Today I want to share with you 6 successful business ideas on how to respond appropriately to a review that you don’t like.
Opinions vary on the power or effect of bad reviews, with some suggesting that 1 in 3 decide to do business with you based on reviews, while others say the percentage is much higher. In either case, the business owner or general manager must pay attention to the online reviews they’re getting or sit and wonder why we’re not getting more customers.
The Successful Roofer – Dealing With Negative Reviews
1) First, I’d say to be nice. There is no downside to treating an unhappy customer with unusual kindness. The most important words you can say (or write in this case) is “I understand that something we’ve done has upset you.” This phrase will communicate clearly that you care about your customers’ feelings.
2) Don’t take the comments personally or respond to them personally. They’re commenting about their experience with your roofing company, so seek to address the experience they had and move on. Also remember that when you reply, you’re post is public – and everyone can see it.
3) Remember that feedback is helpful. If you did not get notified about a bad experience, it’d be hard to identify areas to improve your business’s interaction with customers. If you’ve made changes or improvements based on negative feedback, let the reviewer (and everyone else who reads it know).
They just may go back and remove the bad review.
4) Keep your reply short and to the point. The reviewer wants to know they’ve been heard. Future clients want to know you’re listening and engaging with paying customers. You don’t need a lot of words for that message to come through.
5) Thank people for taking time to review. If they’re posting about a good experience, thank them for sharing. If the review is negative, thank them for bringing it to your attention so you can address and resolve the problem.
Again, just responding to the review, with a short message about how this feedback will help improve business for future customers, may indeed result in the reviewer removing or modifying the rating.
6) Be a friend. Remember that people do business with people they know, like and trust. Google My Business reviews are powerful in the way it allows you to befriend your customers. Do this well, and they’ll be a friend and customer for years to come.
It Requires Proactive Online Reputation Management
If you have questions about dealing with negative ratings, leave your comment for me below so we can help.
We’ll offer the best way to respond. And don’t stress over it – everyone gets a bad review at some point.
