Whether posted on your website or a third party website, it is your duty as a business owner to respond to what has been published online. Your response to negative posts can help reverse some of the ill feelings that the poster and readers might have towards your business.
Based on data, and if the customer has a valid issue that needs to be addressed, it is necessary to do the following:
• post a reply and acknowledge that there was a problem and it will be corrected,
• provide an explanation for the problem,
• apologize for the problem, and
• thank the customer for informing you about the issue.
Consider responding to positive reviews as well. Thanking customers for publishing these positive views, feelings, and experiences is a way to give your business a personality and increases your presence on the Internet. A simple thank you is all that is necessary, based on input from Yelp.com: “while a gift or invitation sounds like a nice idea, it can also be misinterpreted as a bribe or payment for the review. Remember, this customer already likes your business -- just use this opportunity to thank them and introduce yourself.”
