The Best Way to Handle Negative Online Reviews

  Consumer review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor have presented some very 21st century problems for restauranteurs and business owners. How do you focus on all of the aspects of running a great hospitality business, and still find time to deal with review sites? Services such as Yelp will list your restaurant and present reviews whether you have an account or not, so there really isn't any escaping! With research showing that consumer reviews and star ratings can have a significant impact on your traffic, the best way to handle negative online reviews is with four simple steps: acknowledge their complaints, apologize, offer a solution, and ask for another chance. Start by addressing the concerns of the reviewer, and do so as quickly as you can. The online world moves at much faster pace than the physical world, so time is always critical. Acknowledge that you see their complaints and criticisms as valid. This is the first step towards making them feel appreciated as a customer; just simply letting them know you are listening can make them feel good enough to give you another chance. Even if you do not agree with their criticisms, try to take a step back and see if there is any merit to the complaints. Often times, even if the review is overblown, you can find something genuine that you can improve upon. After you acknowledge their complaints, apologize. This can often be the hardest step, especially if you do not agree with their criticisms. Offering a sincere apology for their bad experience goes hand in hand with acknowledging their complaint; the customer will feel validated, and will be much more open to giving you another chance. Offer up a clear solution to the customer's problem. Go beyond acknowledging their criticisms and apologizing for their experience, and let them know what you'll be doing to remedy the issue (and then make sure to do it!). It can also be as simple as promising to address the concerns with your staff, and setting a solid plan for how to deal with similar issues in the future. The key here is change, let the customer know that their criticisms have had a real effect, and implement a plan. Finally, ask the customer for another chance to impress them. It might be a good idea to offer them a discount or special gift with purchase, to help motivate them to come back through your doors. If you aren't comfortable giving out discounts, simply say something along the lines of "we hope that next time we can do better to exceed your expectations". There are some customers that just cannot be pleased. If a customer is still upset after you've followed the steps above and feel you've done the best job you can addressing their concerns, there may not be away to repair that relationship. Simply wish them the best, and let them know that should they choose to give you another chance, you'll be happy to help them. A quick note, on some services, such as Yelp, you have the option of responding with a public comment, or sending the user a private message. There are pros and cons to both approaches. Responding publicly shows other customers that you acknowledge negative comments in a constructive way, and if you are responding politely and respectfully the public conversation should be positive. However, public comments should be kept brief. A good strategy is to post a short message apologizing for the circumstances, and asking the customer to contact you privately. Follow up with a private message to continue the conversation. That way, other customers see that you are actively looking into complaints and responding, but you can hash out the details privately so as not to spread any more negativity. Running a business, restaurants in particular, can take every ounce of energy you have. As such, it is difficult to swallow your pride and confront negative online reviews in a positive and constructive way. When it feels like a customer is attacking your pride and joy in a public space, the initial instinct is usually to debunk their comments and defend your establishment. Unfortunately, being combative most likely will not change the mind of the reviewer, and as such it won't remove that negative review that could sway other potential customers away from your business. Before responding to reviews, find a way to relax a little bit. Take a few deep breathes, pour yourself a cup of tea, and stay positive. For more tips, check out this subject on Quora.  Image Credit: Flickr