In today’s blog post I want to share a personal story:
I recently found myself in the market for a new pair of hiking boots. One thing I love about shopping on Amazon.com is their customer reviews and ratings, which I find very helpful in making buying decisions.
After a little searching, I came upon one pair of boots that seemed to have everything I was looking for and a high customer rating as well: 4.5 out of 5 stars. Just to be sure I scanned through the reviews and read through one of the negative ones (the lowest at only 3 stars). Here’s an excerpt of what the reviewer had to say:
“So I bought these boots for hiking in the fall… The only problem I had is that I got stuck out in that weird October snow/rain storm and my feet were soaked. It took a couple of days for them to dry. All in all I would recommend but if there is a question about rain, leave them home.”
This being Seattle, we have some great terrain for hiking but your boots must be waterproof. Because of one negative review, my inclination was to pass on this pair of hiking boots and keep looking. But then I noticed that someone had left a comment on the review. It read like this:
“If the boot leaked through the eVent membrane, then something is wrong with your pair and you should exchange them for a new pair at the dealer that you purchased them from. If you need additional help, call me. Kurt XXXXXX, NW Ahnu Sales Rep. (425) 785-XXXX.”
Wow! This sales rep. really believes in his product! So much so that he posted his first and last name along with his complete phone number on a public forum on the web. For me, this completely overshadowed the negative review. It really speaks volumes that this company stands so solidly behind their product and clearly desires a positive experience for their customers. Despite one person’s poor experience, I still plan to own those boots, knowing that the company will serve me well even if something goes wrong!
We at Roadside understand that Local Listings forums (like Google Places, Bing Local, Yelp, CitySearch, etc.), which give your past and current patients the opportunity to leave a rating and review of your business, can be intimidating. What if someone leaves a negative comment? Well, the above-stated experience is proof positive that a negative comment posted in an online review forum is actually an opportunity to show potential customers how much your practice excels.
Now we’re not saying that a representative of your office should go posting their full name with cell phone number on review forums. What worked about the above example was the genuine care and concern the hiking boot sales representative displayed! You too can turn negative reviews around. By responding, you open the door to fix the misunderstanding or problem with the negative reviewer. Perhaps they will even recant or remove their negative review! If not, though, you still display to other potential patients across the web the truth about your office: That you perform great dentistry and take terrific care of your clientele!
For a terrific step-by-step guide to handling a negative online review, reference this great blog post, and please contact the team at Roadside Multimedia for coaching through your specific situation.
Now that’s how businesses are supposed to handle negative reviews. You have to believe in your product, and you have to know how to defend it. For some, it could be easier said than done, but it’s a lot better if you’re making it a point that you’re communicating with the people, no matter what side of the coin they are on. It’s like an SEO reseller being able to prove that the methods for their link building work, and that they’re not breaking any of the guidelines set by the big search engines.