How To: Overcome Negative Reviews Online
The latest Local Customer Review Survey (2012) reveals just how important online reviews and user-generated content are to consumers. The answer? Very! In fact, 52% of consumers reported that positive customer reviews make them more likely to use a local business [Search Engine Land]. Additionally, eMarketer reports that 65% of users age 18-24 consider information on social networks when making a purchase decision. Therefore your dealership should be doing all it can to generate positive customer reviews, and in turn, minimizing any negative feedback. Read below for a few tips on how to overcome negative reviews online.
Get Online
A web presence is a must for any type of business today. Not only are social networks a direct connection to your consumers, they’re also a great way to extend your brand image online. Of course, there’s always a chance your customers will say negative things about your business. In order to mange potential negative feedback, you need to be there in the first place. Ignoring customer complaints by not participating online doesn’t make them go away. It does however make it more likely for an issue to spiral out of control.
Prepare For the Worst
What’s the worst thing that a customer could say about your company? How would you handle that if the complaint spiraled out of control? Ensure you’ve got a strategy in place should a crisis arise, including who is going to respond and the process for approval. Think of it as a social media fire drill – you hope it’s never going to happen in real life, but if it does, having a plan in place helps to ensure the safety of your brand.
Apologize
Always offer a sincere apology for the customer's poor experience and reassure them that you will investigate the situation and do everything that you can to make it right. The customer and your community will appreciate our commitment to making things right.
Listen To Your Customers
Use tools like Hootsuite, Twitter searches, Google Alerts, Social Mention or our MiSocial platform to monitor social networks for mentions of your dealership. Not only will you find opportunities to engage with potential consumers, you can also identify potential issues within your organization. If the same complaints keep surfacing, investigate them further. Using customer feedback to improve your business processes can greatly improve customer relations, especially if you keep your customers informed of the changes you’re making based on their comments.
How does your dealership manage negative reviews? Share your tips in the comments.
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