How to Handle Negative Online Reviews

Online reviews are easy for customers to leave, and customers aren't shy about leaving them either. Some are good, some are bad. Some are really bad. Left unchecked, negative reviews can have a terrible effect on your business and its future.

For starters you'll need to know what's being written. To do that, go to your favorite search engine and type in your business name with the word “reviews” after it. You can also use a service like Google Alerts. Just choose which words/phrases you want to follow, (like your business name), and Google will send you email alerts any time your business is mentioned online.

• Respond quickly - The sooner you tackle the problem, the better your chance of getting the negative review removed. Many sites, like Trip Advisor, even allow businesses to respond to negative reviews on their website. This is a great opportunity to let your unhappy customer know you care, as well as to show potential customers that you care about your customers.

• Be generous - If your customer was unhappy with their meal, or with their hotel room, offer them a discount or coupon. They'll be more inclined to take down their negative review, or post a positive follow-up review. Just don't make it an obvious attempt at bribery - which might result in another negative review.

• Be personal - Rather than hiding behind a company name, use your actual name when responding to reviews. Your response will be much more genuine and personal, which customers appreciate.

• Get positive reviews - A bunch of positive reviews will lessen the damage done by a few negative ones, so make it a habit to ask satisfied customers to post positive reviews.

Of course avoiding the problem all together is the best strategy, but occasionally mistakes happen. Train your staff to recognize problems and resolve them before they find their way online. When negative reviews do make it online, address them, learn from them, and make sure not to repeat the mistake.