Respond to Negative Reviews
Learn how to change a negative experience into a lifetime of loyalty! The most loyal customers are those who have had their concerns personally addressed.
How to Respond to Negative Reviews
- Act quickly. There is no time to waste when it comes to reviews! The longer you wait to respond to a negative review, the worse the situation could get.
- Stick to the facts. Be honest and truthful about the situation and your business. Provide insight a customer may not have been aware of on their own.
- Don't take it personally. Remember, don't take a negative review personally. Negative comments are directed at the company, not at the person replying. The best option is to respond in a calm and professional tone.
- Take ownership. You're representing your dealership! Start by acknowledging the reviewer's concern with an apology. Whether the customer is right or wrong, a sincere apology lets the customer know you hear them. It can help express that your dealership cares and is willing to address the customers' concerns.
- Review your responses. Consider potential customers when replying. It's easy to misinterpret a reply to a negative review; double-check that your statement comes across as professional and appropriate!
- Present a real solution. If there is a reasonable action to be taken, do it by showing initiative and taking charge of making a bad experience a good one. Since this is the public domain, others will be keeping a watchful eye on what your next step is.
- Apologize first. Sometimes a simple apology and explanation could resolve a negative situation instead of immediately offering further compensation. Remember, it is six to seven times more expensive to acquire a new customer than to keep a current one.
- Learn from it. Feedback is what helps your dealership learn and grow. Take suggestions into consideration and use them to make improvements and prevent future customers from having a bad experience at your dealership.