How can your business handle negative reviews effectively?

Nichola Evans, Partner

For the leisure and hospitality sector, brand and reputation are everything. In an increasingly competitive market, preventing negative online reviews is critical. Research from Sanguine Advisors reveals that 86% of customers are reluctant to buy from a business with negative reviews, just one negative review can deter 22% of potential customers and three negative reviews can drive away as much as 59%.

Businesses in the leisure sector should have a clear strategy for dealing with online feedback given the significant effect it can have on commercial success. Below, we discuss the key points businesses should bear in mind.

Step 1:  Assess whether the review is inaccurate and untruthful. If the customer has had a genuine negative experience, then they are entitled to leave a negative review provided this is factual.

Step 2: Addressing negative reviews is crucial to reducing their impact and showing your dedication to customer satisfaction. The following practices are suggested:

• Respond to review promptly to show that you are proactive at resolving issues. You can utilise monitoring systems such as Google Alerts to assist with this.
• Express gratitude for their feedback, even if it’s negative.
• Apologise for the customer’s experience and acknowledge their concerns.
• Explain the actions you are taking to address the issue and invite the customer to continue the conversation privately
• Maintain a polite tone and steer clear of defensive language

Step 3:  If the review is inaccurate, you should first flag the report to the relevant site such as Google or Trust Pilot. The burden is on you to prove that the review is false or misleading and providing evidence will assist. The provider will assess your report, and if they deem that it violates their policy guidelines, the review will be removed. The removal of the review is not always guaranteed, however.

Step 4:  If the site provider fails to remove the review, and if the review contains false information or malicious statements that harm your business, you may have grounds for legal action. For example, a law firm recently won £25,000 in damages after a defamatory review caused a significant decline in business inquiries. Sometimes the review may be anonymous, and you can use the Defamation (Operators of Websites) Regulations 2013 to request that the platform identify the reviewer so you can pursue a defamation claim. Note, however, that claims of this nature are complex and often require the assistance of legal professionals.

Dealing with negative online reviews sits within a business’s wider online presence and brand. Businesses can improve upon their wider presence and brand by:

• Publish regular, high-quality content.
• Engage positively with your audience on social media.
• Request customers to provide positive feedback and showcase this.
• Pre-prepare statements for common reputation threats.
• Seeking assistance from digital PR specialists.

It is imperative for businesses to address negative reviews promptly as they can impact the commercial success of the company severely. Above, we have outlined the strategies that businesses can consider when dealing with the reviews. If you are seeking advice in relation to commencing legal action for a defamation claim, please do not hesitate to contact our team on 0161 832 3434 to discuss how best we can support you.

Contributors: Reuben Nesarajah