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\nCustomer Experience is based on customer feedback and engagement.<\/p>\n
With the presence of review sites such as Yelp, TripAdvisor, and comment sections on company websites themselves, CX leaders are now faced with a question many aren\u2019t sure how to answer.<\/p>\n
\u201cShould I respond to positive and negative customer feedback? If so, is there a best way to do so?<\/p>\n
The short answer\u2026 Yes, absolutely respond to feedback whenever possible.<\/p>\n
Response suggestions<\/strong><\/p>\n If your customers take the time to post a review online, I strongly suggest you respond to it. A short reply \u2013 \u201c We are so happy it was a great event for you! Thanks for your comment. We appreciate it.\u201d or some variation demonstrates their feedback is reviewed and valued.<\/p>\n Potential and existing customers seeing responses online notice that someone in your company is taking time to view feedback online and considering it.<\/p>\n Always respond to the negative comments<\/strong><\/p>\n You may be thinking \u2013 \u201cThis is all well and good if it\u2019s a positive comment or review. But what if they are nasty or have a truly negative complaint? What do we do then?\u201d<\/p>\n Same answer \u2013 Respond to it\u2026 with deliberateness.<\/p>\n Remember that folks are looking online for reviews. They\u2019ll see the negative ones and decide for themselves if it holds any weight or is a concern for them. But they\u2019ll always notice if there is a response and how it was handled.<\/p>\n Even when negative comments are sent by email, a response is necessary.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s say you get a negative review. Craft your response to show professionalism, engagement, and intent to fix if possible.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you for letting us know things didn\u2019t go as you expected. We always do our best to make our customers happy they chose us, but sometimes we miss the mark. Please accept our sincere apologies for your disappointment. Can you please send us your contact information so we may reach out to you personally to find a solution? We\u2019d like to see if there is a way for us to regain your trust. We will also be sure to consider your feedback to prevent this situation from happening again to you or any of our customers.\u201d<\/p>\n A response like this demonstrates you are actively reviewing and acknowledging all feedback, even the negative. It shows you\u2019d like to redeem yourselves if possible.<\/p>\n People often shy away from apologizing as they believe it admits fault or accepts blame. I encourage everyone to apologize as quickly as possible\u2026 with deliberateness.<\/p>\n If your company made a mistake or fell short, then apologize and own it. If the customer has unknowingly messed things up, you can still apologize and give them grace. Here is an example to get you started\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWe are so sorry for the frustration you are having. We completely understand. This isn\u2019t how we want any of our customers to feel and we\u2019d really like the chance to help with a solution.\u201d<\/p>\n Fault and blame are not taken by the company, yet not put in the face of the customer. It\u2019s simply a company doing the right thing by trying to find a solution together.<\/p>\n These same principles hold true for feedback and comments sent directly to your company. Respond to all feedback whenever possible, especially the negative comments and complaints.<\/p>\n Most customers don\u2019t take the time to send feedback as they feel it won\u2019t do any good. Those that do send feedback often feel it wasn\u2019t received or reviewed as they didn\u2019t get a response.<\/p>\n Responding to feedback shows customers you value them, their perspective, and their feedback. Trust is built through your response. Trust builds customer loyalty.<\/p>\n