"One bad review can't hurt them that much," we might think as we give one star to our Uber driver. But in reality, bad reviews can hurt small businesses quite a lot. One study found that only one bad review on the front page can make future customers 42% less likely to use that service.
Recently, one flower shop owner shared an example of how one unhappy customer can potentially tank your image. One young woman felt entitled to a refund, and when she didn't get one, she mobilized her entire family to bombard the flower shop with fake negative reviews as revenge.
An entitled customer left a flower shop a bad review after not getting a free bouquet
Image credits: Andrej Lišakov / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
She even recruited her entire family to bombard the business with negative reviews out of spite
Image credits: Otherwise_Tadpole897
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Otherwise_Tadpole897
The owner came with receipts and posted the customer's review
Image credits: Otherwise_Tadpole897
Then came the one-star reviews from the family members
Interestingly, a few bad reviews can sometimes make a business look more credible
For a small business owner, a bad review can sometimes seem like the end of the world. And while bad reviews can seriously hurt the image of some businesses, some might end up being a minor nuisance. Experts say that if a business's overall rating is good, some customers might not even pay attention to a few bad reviews.
Amy Roberts, vice president of communications and crisis management expert at KNB Communications, told Business that business owners should trust customers to be critical. "Most readers know not every review is true, and not all can be taken seriously."
In the above-mentioned study published in the Journal of Marketing Research, the researchers found that when a review centers on personal taste, consumers tend to take it with a grain of salt. If a review has moved past the first page, consumers are also less likely to see it and make their purchasing decisions based on that bad review.
In fact, bad reviews can even be helpful. Experts say that consumers are suspicious of companies and businesses that only have glowing five-star reviews. Researchers from Northern University have found that customers are more likely to buy goods and services from businesses that have ratings spanning from 4.2 and 4.5 stars. Customers are people too; they realize that human error and bias go into posting reviews.
What's more, reviews give business owners a chance to show they care about customer satisfaction. When an owner responds to a bad review, the brand instantly seems more trustworthy.
"Sometimes, just showing that your business cares about its customers and will acknowledge negative comments in an effective manner is enough to reassure current or future customers, while also protecting your interests," Jenna Guarneri, Founder and CEO of JMG Public Relations, explains.
It's vital to address bad reviews in person and publicly
Image credits: Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
When you're a small business owner, it's hard not to take bad reviews to heart. You're the CEO, the worker bee, and the face of the company, so, when someone insults any aspect of your business, it's difficult not to see it as a personal attack. But seasoned entrepreneurs say that's one of the main things to keep in mind as a new business owner.
When Forbes asked the 16 members of their Business Council how to deal with bad reviews, most emphasized that a bad review, first and foremost, is an opportunity to learn and grow. If possible, they recommend reaching out to the unhappy customer privately. If not, then apologizing and owning up is a must.
"Saying sorry is completely OK. For example, we had one employee write an unfortunate review. I did not realize that he felt that way, so I called him up and personally said sorry," Satyam Kantamneni of UXReactor said. "That was all that was needed to make it right."
Those business owners who have the means can also look into hiring a dedicated team to deal with bad reviews. As a business grows, having people who are responsible for customer service might come in handy. When there's an influx of bad reviews, a PR firm can help restore a business's good image, too.
The business owner reported these reviews as 'spam,' but it didn't help
"People are trying to scam for discounts or free things and the internet is making it easier," commenters observed
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