It took some months of works but finally your business is one of the most appreciated from Tripadvisor/Booking’s users. Then, one day, something happens: an angry customer – maybe a jealous competitor – has published a negative reviews, lowering your average and not sparing insults.
Of course you want to reply but avoid to reply, obfuscated by anger: losing your temper in front of an audience is the worst thing you can do in this situations. Even worse than ignore it, hoping people won’t give it too much consideration: potential clients won’t like that.
So, what you can do to manage this crisis?Take a deep breath, wait some hours – or a day or two – and then reply nicely. Even if the review included false claims, never accuse the client of being a liar: it’s rude and useless. If for example someone says you have a unisex bathroom – and is not true – better try to be sarcastic, to say that maybe he has confused your place with one with a similar name.
If critics are subjective opinions saying that tastes are different isn’t going to get you anywhere. In these situations you’d better try to point out your point of strength, excusing yourself for note being able to satisfy a customer and inviting him to come back for a second chance. As you know, client is always right – even when is not polite – and replying rudely is out of question. This is true especially on a Social Newtork, where thousands of people are looking at your comments. In any case, remember sarcasm is usually the best choice.
Anyway, not all your clients will write negative reviews. Probably most of them will be satisfied and will share with the world their opinion. Thanks them briefly for sharing their opinion: it will be appreciated by your clients and your potential ones.
Last but not least remember to never discourage your clients to review your place, like in this case, where patrons fined their clients for posting their opinion on TripAdvisor. It’s the best way to make people mad at you. Finally, is fine to invite clients to review your place but alway be polite and never put pressure on them: not everybody likes to review the place he have eaten or stayed in.
