When Bad Reviews Are Good

Many business owners we have dealt with can get downright panicky when they get a bad review or two, and not without good reason. Just a couple really scathing reviews, in the absence of any others, can really do great damage to a business over time.

But can negative reviews actually help your business? According to Social Barrel, they sometimes can. Having some lukewarm to bad reviews mixed in with your good reviews can actually make your reviews seem legitimate. After all, what company doesn’t get complaints now and then?

Consumers these days are very savvy and can sniff out fake reviews a mile away. So having all glowing reviews is considered by many a telltale sign that somebody is gaming the system.

So what is the correct approach to handling bad reviews? Ball all means, don’t panic or attack the reviewer, no matter how unfair or abusive their review might seem. Keep a level head, and respond in a courteous, professional manner.

And by all means, encourage more of your loyal customers to leave reviews on the major review sites. Always work on improving your customer service, and learn what you can from the complaints.

If you are dealing with somebody who seems a bit unhinged, make the effort to address their concerns and move on. By making the effort, you will seem professional and responsive, and that will attract more new customers than any fake reviews ever will.