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Bad reviews can really ruin your day.  They can also harm future business.  Just as when people have an amazing experience and tell everyone they know about it, when they have awful experiences they will spread the word then too. 

It doesn't matter how accommodating or gracious you dealership is, there are times when no matter what you do, people will not be happy.  When this happens, they will not hesitate to spread the word and share their upsetting and trying experience with the world by way of slamming the dealership to whoever will listen. 

It doesn't matter what the issue may be either.  It could be something like a price misunderstanding, financing, additional fees or any number of other issues.  It could just be that when the customer walked in, they had an idea of what the experience would be like and it turned out not to be that way. 

You will never please 100% of the people 100% of the time.  That is simply a fact of life. 

Whatever the reason the customer was unhappy, the way you react to the review can actually make all the difference in the world.  In fact, your reputation can be made or broken by how you deal with the unhappy customers. 

How do you turn a negative review into a more positive experience though?  Here are a few tips. 

  • Never ignore a bad review.  Especially one that has been given online.  It will be seen by anyone who cares to read it.  When you do not respond to negative reviews it gives the appearance that you really don't care what customers think.
  • Have a conversation with the person who dealt with the customer.  Find out what happened to make the customer unhappy.
  • When possible, use this as an opportunity to try to open a line of communication with the customer.  Address the complaints that the customer has in a calm and reassuring manner.  Listen, empathize and offer a solution to the underlying issues.
  • Do not belittle the customer for being less than honest or omitting details.  If the customer is hurling insults and foul language, stay calm and relate any important information.
  • Do not respond with a blanket answer.  Specifically address any concerns raised in the negative review.  There is nothing worse than an automated sounding response that doesn't begin to address the issue.  In fact, those types of answers often do nothing but make the situation worse in the long run. 

Remember that negative reviews can actually be beneficial.  Not only do they make the positive reviews more credible, they also point out areas that might need a bit of attention and improvement. 

This is also an opportunity to demonstrate that your dealership does indeed care for it's customers and is willing to go above and beyond to make things right.