Help! I've Got A Negative Review

A question I often hear is how do I eliminate negative information about my company on the Internet? That's one of those questions that has many answers, but there a few general concepts we can address here.

There are usually 3 types of negative information that appear on the Web about companies.

The first is a legitimate complaint. No one's perfect. No matter how hard you try, sometimes you or your staff mess up. Maybe your product or service didn't work properly. People are more likely to complain online than to you directly. It's human nature - anonymity emboldens us. Road rage is a great example of this.

Legitimate complaints can actually be the most beneficial for your company. These are things you can act on. If someone has a complaint, solve it. Go above and beyond. And make it public. For instance, let's say you own a restaurant. Your staff was having an off day, the service wasn't up to par, and someone wrote a negative review. Instead of letting it go, follow up with this customer through the same online venue they complained through. Give them a gift certificate, or offer to buy their next meal. Take a specific action to rectify the situation. Don't make excuses - make it right. And do it in the public square. Many people now rely exclusively on online reviews to make a buying decision. If they see a complaint and a solution, they'll know you are a business owner who actually cares and listens. You're willing to do the right thing. And don't argue. A free meal to a disgruntled client is going to cost you a lot less than proving your point. The customer, after all, is always right. Especially when they're wrong.

Don't let legitimate complaints fester. The faster you solve them, the better the outcome. Consider posting your Facebook or Twitter address in your business and encouraging customers to share their experience, positive or negative. This can seem counterintuitive to a business owner, but airing your dirty laundry in public can allow you to take situations that would otherwise fester and turn them into positive, customer-building opportunities.

The second type of negative information that appears is the dreaded anonymous complaint. Someone has a bad experience with your company, or has an axe to grind with you personally (or one of your employees) and writes terrible things. The dark side of the Internet is that everything is essentially permanent. There are exceptions, and it's possible to remove derogatory comments, but it's a difficult and lengthy process. It's similar in scope to identity fraud. There are companies that promote reputation fixing services, but there are limits to these processes, and the cost can be quite high.

In these cases, the best defense is a good offense. Most reviews that have any meaning to potential customers are weighted. Negative reviews can be overwhelmed by positive reviews. People are more likely to take action when they're complaining rather than when they've had a positive experience. Anger is a more actionable emotion than happiness. However, many people will write positive reviews if you ask them. Use your social media venues, signs in your physical location(s), printed notes on receipts and invoices, etc. to ask people to create positive reviews. You can incentivize this, as well, by offering something for your customers to do this. Depending on your industry, you will need to be aware of any restrictions that exists (health care, government, etc.), but giving people who write positive reviews a small reward will often motivate them. Keep in mind that people will usually do a great deal for very little - you don't have to give them a car. Something small, something they'll use, will motivate them to take the ten minutes they'll need to write a review. Enough of these will, over time, virtually eliminate negative reviews. It's a time consuming process, but it is effective.

The third type of negative information found on the Web are comments from former and current employees. These can range from ridiculous comments that are essentially blowing off steam, to the divulging of company trade secrets. It's important to weigh the severity of information being shared. If the comments are coming from a disgruntled worker, it might be best to let the comments go. If you've fired this person, they'll likely want to vent. You fired them for a reason, and this will only reinforce why you did. The more dangerous types of former employee comments come when they share private company information online. There are specific laws that govern this type of information and, depending on the data and the implications, you have the option of taking legal action. Keep in mind that the punishment should match the crime - there will often be repercussions beyond the scope of a simple web post if you decide to pursue legal action. Social media postings as they relate to current or former employers is an emerging area of the law and, although several cases have sided with employers recently, you should weigh the fact that you'll be helping set legal precedent, and can receive more negative attention via the news media than you ever would by letting the online comment(s) go. Every situation is unique, and only you as the business owner know what's at stake. Keep in mind it's not personal, it's business.

There isn't a magic bullet for eliminating negative comments online. And this information is the tip of the iceberg. Keep in mind that some people are complainers. That's their nature, that's how they find pleasure in their lives. No matter what you do, you won't make them happy. But if the negative comments are legitimate, act on them. You can use these negatives to grow as a business. They may also give you insight into how your company is perceived in the public. That kind of wake-up call can be a game-changer, if you look at it honestly.