A Change of Heart: How Do I Take Back My Bad Review?

A Change of Heart: How Do I Take Back My Bad Review?

Sometimes, we say hurtful things that we don’t mean.

We feel guilt when we blab something regretful to someone’s face, and we usually end up apologizing to them later on. However, when it comes to leaving hurtful review comments about a business, we don’t hold back — and we certainly don’t apologize.

But why? Businesses have feelings, too!

Seeing negative reviews online can be a terrifying experience for a company — and why shouldn’t they be? Imagine the anxiety you’d have if someone left your business a one-star review for other potential customers to see.

No matter how fair the review is, it’s scary to think that your company’s first impression could be dictated by a nasty comment left by some guy in his underwear with nothing better to do.

Like a self-conscious teenager applying copious amounts of acne cream to their zit-infested face, a business will do whatever it takes to regain its image. By addressing the problem head-on and coming up with creative solutions, your business can respond to poor reviews in several effective ways.

But how do you take back your comment if you were once an angry consumer? How can you undo your review on Yelp, Google, Facebook, Foursquare, or other online outlets if the business has truly made improvements since your comment?

As it turns out, there are many different methods for taking back a nasty review.

Method #1: The Trash Collector

We’ll start by simply demonstrating the most effective method of taking back your negative review: deleting it entirely.

Removing your negative review on Yelp, Facebook, or any other review site generally follows some sort of process that leads to a garbage can icon. It may seem fairly intuitive, but it’s also necessary to talk about given the implications.

According to a Forbes study, 88% of consumers have been influenced by an online customer review. This means that your one little negative comment could potentially sway the opinion of 88 out of 100 people regarding a particular business.

This study also found that 60% of all job seekers would not apply to a company that had a one-star rating — so your complaint could be harming a company’s ability to attract new talent, too.

facebook review

If I’m a car dealership, and I get an online review that mentions how my employees “hover around you like a hawk,” then I need to address that problem head-on. However, if the problem has been dealt with, but the review hasn’t been, I’m going to feel cheated. It’s a hopeless position to be in when you’ve genuinely tried to be responsive about your reputation, but there’s still a lingering negativity around you.

If a business is willing to go the extra mile to improve your experience, it’s only fair that you reward them by removing your negative review.

It’s one thing if you’re dealing with a large corporation that can handle the notoriety, but a small business can really take a hit when it comes to its reputation management. Your one bad review can make life difficult for genuinely good people.

Method #2: The Sweetener

“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” –Every kindergarten teacher in existence

The world isn’t always filled with sunshine and lollipops (I’m looking at you, Candy Land) — and that’s okay. Sometimes we need a reality check to remind us that we need to be constantly improving.

Good deeds, however, merit just rewards.

For example, if you left a review that complained about your wait time at a doctor’s office, and the staff significantly improved your wait time by your next visit as a result, you should feel validated. The business took your complaint into consideration, proposed a solution, and ended up solving your dilemma.

If your negative experience inspired you to leave an unfavorable review, maybe your positive experience should inspire you to leave a favorable remark as well.

Your praise can have just as significant of an impact as your complaints. According to OutboundEngine, 72% of consumers say that seeing a positive review will make them trust a business more.

Do the kind thing, and sweeten a company’s reputation management by adding kind and thoughtful remarks regarding its service.

Method #3: The Conversationalist

If you’re skeptical about removing a negative review, or you feel like the business hasn’t fully earned your trust back, reach out to them. A true test for whether a business deserves your trust is whether it takes the time to engage with its customers personally.

Generally speaking, when a company takes extra effort to care for its customers, it’s going to pan out well for the business. When a customer is engaged by a company, that business will likely become their preferred establishment. In fact, more than 70% of customers will spend more time with a company if they have a history of good service.

According to a study by the Guardian, 58% of consumers who tweet about a bad experience will won’t receive a reply from the company. If a business takes the initiative and reaches out to you, that’s exceptional.

By seizing these opportunities, companies could not only strengthen their reputation management but also improve their short-term revenues. It’s in their best interest to address your problem, so take the time to start that conversation with them.

How to take back your negative review

Be Proactive with Reputation Management

If you are an online saint who has never left a horrendously bad review for a business, I applaud you.

For the rest of us heathens, however, I encourage you to do the right thing and take back your bad review if a business is taking the appropriate strides to respond to customer complaints.

I also encourage businesses to learn from their mistakes and initiate that positive conversation with the customer. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Show your customers you care by taking their opinions and experiences into consideration.

LEARN HOW TO MANAGE ONLINE REVIEWS