Your guide to dealing with negative online reviews

Negative online reviews happen even to the best of us. Now, it is understandable that the vision of them alone makes you shiver - after all, these comments will always hang on your site, for all your potential customers to read. And you know the impact online reviews have - most of us check them for all products and services we purchase, from buying lipgloss to hiring a lawyer. Several negative reviews can easily pull down your salon’s overall appeal, and if they contain serious allegations, they can even make your business seem questionable

With all of that being said, negative reviews are not all that bad! They can even be useful and beneficial for your salon. How is this even possible? Paradoxically, they can make your business seem more reliable and honest - especially if you respond to them properly. People see that you are not afraid of criticism, don't try to hide anything and that you can handle a crisis well. Moreover, as you can not appreciate light without seeing some darkness, bad reviews make good reviews look better. Also, if the comment is constructive, you can actually learn something about your business and have a chance for improvement - and that is always a good thing!

However, not all negative reviews are the same. You may receive ones from genuinely disappointed clients, or from people that mean no good. How can you tell which ones are you dealing with and how should you approach them?

Real reviews

Online reviews are quite often anonymous, so the lack of personal data does not make the review fake. On Facebook, most clients have their accounts signed with their name and surname, yet Google reviews are mostly signed with some kind of nickname. When reviewing the comment, ask yourself: does it make sense? Is the spelling more or less proper? Is it logical and describes the kind of services you provide, without weird inclusions and offensive words? If so, you are probably dealing with a real review.

Now, how should you handle this situation?

Unwind. First of all, you need to relax. It is natural that you feel the sudden rush of adrenaline and overpowering need to defend yourself - especially if you think that the comment is extremely unfair and one-sided. If this is the case, turn off the computer, pour yourself a glass of wine and watch your favourite comedy. When dealing with an unpleasant review, you have to avoid emotional reactions at all costs.

Respond. No matter how upsetting the review may be, you have to respond to it - moreover, you have to do it in a calm and polite manner. This shows your professionalism and that you care about your clients. To write a perfect response, remember to:

• Address the reviewer. If the beginning of your answer sounds as if it was artificially generated, you have already lost. Avoid phrases like “dear guest” or “dear client”, always address the reviewer personally, by their name. And make sure you use exactly the same form they use -  don’t shortcut “Elisabeth” to “Betty”, if she uses her full name, and don’t spell “Matilda” as “Mathilda” if she prefers the first spelling.
• Say “thank you”. I know it is hard to be thankful for harsh words, but let the customer know you appreciate their candid opinion - even if it isn’t a pleasant one.
• Apologise. Acknowledging your own mistake is a very mature thing to do and it shows that you truly are a professional. However, if you are sure that you made no wrong, say that you are sorry that a customer “feels that way”. You keep the magical word in your response without admitting your fault.
• Take responsibility. Cut the excuses - acknowledge client’s issue, assuring you usually keep your standards high and that you are sorry that situation like this took place.
• Move the issue to a private conversation. After all of that, it is best to invite the customer to contact you directly in order to solve the issue. If the complaint is valid, you should consider offering the customer a free fix or adjustment. If you feel like the client is overreacting, at least offer them a goodie bag or a set of samples. Leave a good impression!

Fake reviews

Sometimes it happens that your site is being flooded with negative reviews of unknown origin. If they are all being submitted in a short space of time from one another, are anonymous or from suspicious looking profiles that you can’t recall to be your clients, it is highly possible you are dealing with an outburst of fake reviews.

Why is this happening? Well, sometimes fake negative reviews are posted by so-called Internet trolls for no particular reason, and the choice of your salon was purely random. Unfortunately, sometimes there is someone’s intended malice behind the situation. It may be your competition playing dirty, a bitter ex-employee or a disappointed customer who can't cope with their emotions in a more mature manner. How can you manage this situation?

Relax. Take it easy. I said it before and I will repeat once more: you can’t let your emotions define your actions. Yes, the situation is tough, unfair and may feel overwhelming, so by all means - call your friend and throw a half an hour-long rant on what happened. But although flurried as a person, you have to remain calm as a salon owner - so stay away from the keyword until you unwind.

Report the fakes. Most social media platforms and other websites where you can leave recommendations are prepared for such situations, so they allow you to report fake reviews. Let’s take a look at how to do it on most popular places where reviews appear - your Google Maps location, Facebook, Yelp and TripAdvisor pages. For Google Maps location:

• Place the cursor on the fake review
• A flag icon will appear - click on it
• You will be directed to the violation page. Enter your email and select the type of violation (you can report these reviews as spam or inappropriate content if they consist of offensive words, threats or bad language)
• If fakes have not been removed and it’s been a while, contact Google support

For Facebook fanpages:

• Place the cursor on the fake review
• Click the three dots icon in the top right
• Choose the option “report post”
• You will be asked what’s wrong with the comment - choose the fitting option, accordingly to fake reviews’ content
• Follow on-screen instructions

For TripAdvisor pages:

• Place the cursor on the fake review
• Click “Report a problem”
• Choose a reason of reporting from a drop-down menu
• Select “Submit”

For Yelp pages:

• Place the cursor on the fake review
• Click the three dots icon
• Choose the option “Report Review”
• You can check the status of your report by placing your cursor over the flag icon that appears next to the review

Address the issue on your social media pages. In contrast to always responding to real reviews, you should never reply to fake ones. There is no use in that, and it gives them credibility they don’t deserve to have. If you want to make the situation clear, write a post on your Facebook fanpage, where you explain the situation to your audience. Mention that you are dealing with an unpleasant situation but soon it will be resolved. Add that you are grateful for their understanding. Once again, keep your attitude calm and avoid making assumptions, suggestions and allusions.

It is important to understand, that there is no shame in getting a negative review - moreover, successfully dealing with one is truly a reason to be proud. There is no glory in deleting candid, unfavourable reviews, and you should never do that. If you want to cope with the situation like a professional, after doing all the steps from this guide, tag difficult clients in your Booksy system as “challenging”. Using your software, send them a special, customised invitation - and once they pay your salon another visit, provide them exceptional customer service with their treatment, so that the negative review turns into a positive one in a flash!

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