

It's important to note, however, that responding to negative reviews on Yelp could have some downstream negative effects. Put yourself in the customer's shoes-wouldn't you rather see a bad review on Yelp with a resolution than an unanswered complaint? If a customer reads a bad review but sees through your reply that you've gone above and beyond to fix the problem and show the customer you care, potential customers will see how you would resolve a similar situation if it happened to them. Responding to less-than-stellar reviews on Yelp is also an opportunity to win over new customers. According to Harvard Business School, even a one-star rating increase on Yelp can generate 5-9 percent more revenue for your business. Doing this could lead to revenue-generating benefits for your business.Īn upset customer could edit their rating of your business after you follow up with him or her to solve the problem. You can find out about customer complaints on Yelp and solve them by following up with unhappy customers. It's your chance to turn a negative experience into a positive one.

It's an opportunity for customer recovery.Įngaging with customers who had a poor experience with your business on Yelp is an opportunity for customer recovery. Here are some things to think about when considering responding to negative Yelp reviews. Why You Should Respond to Negative Yelp Reviews Now, let’s take a look at the reasons you should reply to negative reviews - and also why you might not want to. A restaurant that responds to positive reviews may come off as charming. A restaurant that ignores positive reviews may come off as unappreciative to have your business. If you're looking for sushi restaurants in Boston and come across two with identical ratings, similar menus, and similar reviews, seeing how the business responds to other reviews may help you decide where you're getting dinner. If you work in the hospitality industry as I do, you know that many people check Yelp and other review sites before trying new restaurants, salons, and other service and hospitality businesses. Your brand can delight customers, or it can just feel corporate and impersonal. Any digital interaction you have with a customer is public and represents your brand's personality. In addition to building customer loyalty, you can also attract new customers using this customer care technique.

Happy reviewers will feel delighted and will turn into brand evangelists who will spread the word about your business to their friends and colleagues. This same theory applies to acknowledging customers who review you on Yelp. You probably felt like the brand (or the people behind the account) cared about you, which led to increased good feelings about the company. Think about the last time you left a positive comment on a brand's social media post, and they took the time to respond. When you leave even a simple response to a positive Yelp review, you make your customers feel heard and appreciated. You are building customer loyalty by acknowledging customers who are taking time out of their busy lives to help boost your business.

Responding to glowing reviews on Yelp can help you foster your relationship with happy customers. Here's why you should publicly reply to reviews from happy customers on Yelp. Why You Should Respond to Positive Yelp Reviews
#YELP CUSTOMER SERVICE HOW TO#
Additionally, 87% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses before deciding whether to patronize them or not.Īs these stats reveal, reviews are a vital aspect of the consumer buying decision process, and businesses must learn how to respond to positive and negative reviews. In fact, 32.6% of Internet users say that reviews from other customers drive their buying decision. Review sites like Yelp allow customers to tell others about their experience with a business.
