Negative customer reviews can be challenging for any size business, from a start-up to a Fortune 500 company. A low star rating on Google or a dissatisfied customer review on a business’ website can turn away potential customers before they even attempt to learn more. Statistics show that 86% of customers hesitate to purchase from a company if they see bad reviews. It can be tempting to try to clear those negative reviews from the internet, but in most cases, it isn’t possible and can even reflect poorly on your business if you’re trying to discredit authentic reviewers.

Addressing Negative Reviews

Although companies cannot remove bad reviews from most platforms, there are ways to address them to minimize their impact on your business. Many people wonder about the next step after receiving a bad review. First, take a deep breath and remember that it’s not personal. A customer leaving a bad review doesn’t mean they have anything against you or your business. Next, take steps to minimize the impact.

Actively following up with a customer after they leave a review can significantly increase the likelihood of converting a negative review into a positive one. Therefore, responding to reviews quickly and professionally is important, letting the reviewer know their feedback has been acknowledged and offering to resolve any issues they may have. This will increase the chance of the customer modifying their review and demonstrate to future customers that you are committed to making things right.

Where possible, reach out to the customer directly, but also make sure to respond in a public forum so all potential customers can see. Doing so shows that you value the customer's experience and are willing to go the extra mile to ensure their satisfaction.

While negative reviews generally can’t be removed if a review is false, misleading, offensive or otherwise defamatory, most platforms allow you to report that review. However, this process can be lengthy, and you will have to provide evidence to show that the review breaks the terms of service for the platform. Filing a report won’t work for a review that is simply a less-than-flattering depiction of your product or service. 

Generating Positive Reviews with Blustream

The best way to do that is by generating more positive reviews. While most customers aren’t motivated to leave reviews, even if they had a great experience with your product and company, there are methods to increase the ratio of good reviews that you receive. The most obvious way, of course, is to simply ask people to leave a review!

Obtaining reviews from customers can be a challenging task. The thought of reaching out to every customer who has bought a product from you can be overwhelming and may result in reviews that lack detail or are not helpful. A good approach is to guide customers through the post-purchase experience with follow-up messages. Ask questions about their experience and proactively provide support based on product usage and skill level.

Blustream enables positive post-sales product experiences that solicit positive reviews. Personalized messages can be sent at specific intervals based on a customer’s unique usage and needs after the purchase to gather feedback, allowing any issues to be addressed before a negative review is posted.

So can businesses delete Google reviews or reviews on websites built on e-commerce platforms such as Shopify or WooCommerce? Most of the time, the answer is no. Instead, focus on overwhelming those negative reviews with more positive ones.

You can take several strategies to increase the number of positive reviews, but these are the most effective.: 

1. Assist customers after the sale by proactively offering after-purchase support. 

2. Ask directly about their experience using your product and direct any issues to customer support. Encourage only those who have had positive experiences to leave a review.

3. Continue to assist customers by providing tailored care and enjoyment recommendations for your products to build brand loyalty.

Keep your customers engaged with your product through follow-up messages and stay in touch with potential brand fanatics through dynamic SMS messages. Blustream helps you connect with your customers and create relationships that lead to more valuable reviews. Reach out today to learn more.