Episode
233
In this episode of Profit Toolbelt Phil Risher from Phlash Consulting shared battle-tested strategies to handle negative reviews, avoid them altogether, and build a stellar reputation online.Phil partners with local service businesses to boost sales and keep schedules full. Previously, he led business development for a $3 million air duct cleaning company, leveraging his background in sales and digital marketing. In just one year, Phil tripled the company's profit. And as he attests Google reviews were instrumental to his success. Listen in to discover simple systems to actively dodge one-star reviews by prioritizing quality and nailing communication
Are you wondering how to deal with negative Google reviews?
You should. When prospective customers find you on Google, they're looking at your reviews. Especially the bad ones.
That means Google reviews can make (or break) your business.
But fear not. Phil Risher, the leader at Phlash Consulting, offers battle-tested strategies to tackle them head-on.
Phil partners with local service businesses to boost sales and keep schedules full. Previously, he led business development for a $3 million air duct cleaning company, leveraging his background in sales and digital marketing. In just one year, Phil tripled the company's profit and built a solid brand on Google.
But before we look at how to deal with negative reviews - you have to know how to prevent them in the first place…
Just as a skilled defenseman might occasionally rack up penalty minutes, even the best contractors will face negative reviews.
The good news is - you can actively “defend” yourself against negative reviews by using simple systems.
For one, you should actually get the job done right.
But what trips up most contractors isn’t the quality of the workmanship.
It’s communication.
You should establish clear channels for communication… And then actually use them.
That means regular check-ins with the customers.
Even if they are not asking for updates, you should periodically check in and address issues proactively.
Set realistic expectations about timelines, costs, and potential challenges. It’s always better to underpromise and overdeliver (rather than the other way around).
This is where training your team to be professional and empathetic comes in (including technicians)…
And if this sounds like a headache, there are great customer relationship management (CRM) tools to track client interactions.
By adopting these proactive strategies, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of negative reviews.
First, don’t panic.
Before you do anything, you should find out if the reviewer is an actual client.
If not, then you’re in luck:
You can report reviews that are fake, discriminatory, or not from actual customers to Google.
All you need to do is use the reporting feature within Google to flag inappropriate reviews.
While Google investigates your report, you should also answer the review stating your case for reputational damage control.
However, if they are from an existing customer, answer the negative review and reach out directly to resolve the issue head-on…
Acknowledge the customer's concern and present a solution.
The biggest mistake you can make is giving excuses.
For example, if a customer criticizes a delay in project completion, respond with a concise acknowledgment, delve into the reasons behind the delay, and outline steps taken to prevent a recurrence.
Make amends if possible, because customers can edit or remove their reviews.
Express empathy and avoid defensive or aggressive tones.
While this might sound a bit ironic - AI tools like Chat GPT are fantastic at drafting empathetic responses.
Not only will you save time - but the response will be professional, polite, and ready to send with only slight edits.
The customer might not remove the review - but at least prospects who check out your Google page will see your side of the story (as well as your proactive and service-oriented attitude.)
The best defense is offense, so you need to counteract negative reviews with positive ones.
And it can be as simple as asking satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google.
However, there are two key things you should always keep in mind.
First, timing matters:
Request reviews at the right time, such as after a successful transaction.
Timely requests increase the chances of receiving positive feedback.
And second is convenience:
Make it easy for customers to give you reviews.
Provide a direct link to your Google Business profile for easy access.
You can do it in person, through email or SMS.
You can also attach your review request to an invoice or a brief survey to gather feedback.
You can also use QR codes.
You might have seen them when you go to a restaurant. There's that little code on the table, you take a picture with your cell phone, and it automatically goes to the menu. That's a QR code.
Well, you can create one for your business, so when your technicians finish their job - they can request a positive review. All they have to do is politely ask the customer to scan it with their phone’s camera.
And to add rocket fuel to your review-getting system you can consider offering incentives, such as discounts, for customers leaving positive reviews.
Implementing these strategies creates a proactive approach to building a positive online presence through Google reviews.
By avoiding negative reviews, effectively addressing them when they arise, and actively seeking positive feedback, contractors can shape a robust and positive online reputation in the competitive world of trades and construction.
If you’re interested in more information about dealing with negative reviews make sure to listen to the full podcast episode where Phil and I discuss the topic at hand in even greater detail.
Show Notes:
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