Online can be a really daunting place for businesses just starting out, especially when it comes to reviews and online feedback, which is where we come in; Thunderbolt Digital are a Surrey marketing agency dedicated to helping SMEs navigate their way on the web and around social media sites in order to get the most bang for their buck. Something that many businesses struggle with at some point or another is reviews, and how to deal with them, so here are a few quick tips from us to help you get started!
In business, negative reviews are, unfortunately, an inevitability. What isn;t. However, is how you deal with them; it can be all too easy (especially as an SME) to view negative reviews as a personal attack and respond in kind, but it will do your business far better in the long run if you respond professionally. Not only does this show that your business is active (and count as a type of customer service) but can also act as damage control and as a way to manage your reputation online.
You can also use negative reviews to help improve the products or services your provide – if you notice a common theme that is regularly mentioned, then you’ll have a good idea of where to work on! If you respond to negative reviewers telling them what you’re doing to address their concerns, you may also be able to keep customers that may have left otherwise, which is much, much easier than converting new ones!
That’s not to say that all of your attention should be spent on damage control; acknowledging and thanking customers who leave positive reviews can also be beneficial! Of course, the bigger your business grows and the more reviews you receive, the more difficult feedback like this will become, but SMEs should generally manage to respond to most, if not all reviews made. Set those goals!