How to Respond to Negative Reviews

As auto shop owners and managers, we’ve all been there. No matter how effectively you manage your business and focus on the customer experience, chances are, at one point or another, you will find yourself fielding a negative review.

As a business owner, it’s easy to get upset when you see a negative online review of your business. Take a look at this list of what not to do when you find yourself in this situation.

Now, this is easier said than done. When a less than stellar review from a customer threatens your business, it’s easy to take it as a personal hit, especially if you feel the review is unjustified. The problem with this attitude is, when you view negative reviews as a hit to you personally, you are more likely to come from a place of defensiveness and deliver a less than ideal response.

Many business owners have fallen into the trap of getting defensive when responding to a poor review online. As well as antagonizing the customer who left the review, this will leave a seriously bad impression on all the future customers who come across the review, and your response to it.

When you see a negative review directed at your business, it’s mighty tempting to bury your head in the sand and pretend it never happened. No matter how appealing that strategy may seem, it’s a bad move for a couple of reasons.

One of the biggest mistakes a business owner can make when responding to online reviews is play dirty. Whether the poster is a garden variety online troll or just a genuine customer having a bad day, some reviewers will try and lure you into battle by using poor language or hitting below the belt.

You’re busy, we know. But taking the time to craft a personal response to any negative reviews your business receives is well worth the time and effort. We’ve all seen the businesses that reply to their online reviews (both negative and positive) with the same generic spiel. This not only makes it clear the business doesn’t value the review, but it also sends the message to customers that the feedback isn’t being taken on board.

It should go without saying, but owners or staff posting fake positive reviews for their own business rarely ends well. First and foremost, it’s usually easy to spot these faux reviews from a mile away. From overly descriptive language to insufferably positive experiences, fake reviews stick out like a sore thumb. Review platforms like Google, Facebook and Capterra often link through to a personal profile as well, increasing the chances that you will get sprung for posting a bogus review.

Now you know what not to do, read on for a round-up of the simple steps to take when replying to negative reviews to turn those customer relationships around. 

This is important. When a customer leaves a negative review for your business, they often do it in real-time. Maybe they visited your auto shop this morning and had a poor experience with one of your sales team. By responding to their review as soon as possible and taking steps to make it right, you can often catch the customer before they make a purchase from a competitor instead and ensure you save a client.

When viewing particularly bad reviews or ones that mention individual team members by name, it’s easy to respond in the heat of the moment and make rash decisions. This is almost never a good idea and can lead to you making some or all of the mistakes we outlined above.

Customers who take the time to leave a review for your business explaining the situation are a blessing in disguise. By bringing a negative situation to your attention, they are giving you an insight into your business and the client experience you may not have had otherwise. Most customers who have a bad experience don’t inform the business owners of the issue, so appreciate the ones that bring it to your attention!

Despite your best intentions as a business owner, sometimes things just happen. Maybe the reviewer caught you and your team on an off day and your normally top-notch service just wasn’t there. Remembering the number of potential customers that may see these reviews, use your reply as an opportunity to call out the positive aspects of your business.

What level of service do you strive for in your auto shop? Do you make sure you call customers by name? You bet you do! Engaging with them online is no different. While some review platforms make it tricky by not requiring users to leave their real names, there will always be at least a username you can reference when responding to their message to make things more personal. 

Some review platforms like Google only let you respond to reviews once. Rather than leaving it at that, make sure you do your best to follow up with the customer and do everything in your power to see that their issue is resolved. Often, the best way to do this is by taking the conversation offline so you can engage in person. If you are unable to track down the customer based on their review, make sure that your response lists your name and your contact information so the customer can follow up with you if they desire. 

Need a little inspiration crafting your reply to that bad review? We’ve got you covered. Check out these examples below. But remember, the most important thing in writing a quality reply is to personalize it to the reviewer and make them really feel heard.

The most important takeaway here is to look at negative reviews as a way to improve your business. The way you respond (and if you choose to at all) says as much about your business as it does you as an owner.