Working in a customer-driven business, particularly in the auto industry, comes with an obvious caveat: Not all customers will be happy or satisfied with their visit to the dealership. Facing negative reviews and interactions is an inevitable aspect of such a business. Although it is no fun to experience, dealing with less-than-great reviews does not have to be destructive to your dealership. 

The most paramount aspects of negative reviews are how your dealership handles them and how you move forward with what you have learned from the negative interaction. Correctly handling this can best set you up for success rather than allowing negative reviews to hinder your performance. Here are a few pointers on what to do and what NOT to do when handling negative reviews.

DO apologize and address negative reviews. It is key to not only apologize for a customer's negative experience but also to come to a solution that helps the customer, as well as future ones. Showing good intent to your customers and dedication to making improvements is an evident action that can be easily seen and appreciated by customers.

DO act quickly on responding to a negative review. If a customer posts a negative review, it is safe to assume they want some form of reply or solution to their concerns. Being consistent and quick to address the review is a wise practice to stay committed to.

DO understand the customer's complaints and work on how to avoid the problems moving forward. This pointer builds off the first tip, and it is crucial to hear and be aware of what the customer is expressing. While it is important to resolve a customer's issues, what can be done to avoid similar problems in the future and, therefore, decrease the negative reviews on the given topics? 

DO NOT ignore negative reviews or comments. From the pointers we have addressed thus far, you can see the significance of addressing poor reviews. Your business needs to take the responsibility and initiative to address all concerns and provide solutions to create the best customer experience you can provide.

DO NOT ask for more information from a negative review. Responding to a review is great, but be careful how you do so. Do not engage in such a way that welcomes the customer to reveal more negative comments that the public can view. A good way to "bury" the negative reviews is to attract more clients to submit more positive reviews. This will take time and effort to generate more organic reviews that can help filter out negative ones.

DO NOT take negative reviews personally. Just because a negative review was submitted, this does not mean your dealership and/or staff are failures. We have discussed that negative experiences are bound to happen. What matters is how they are addressed and how you make changes to avoid the problems that arise. 

Following these tips is a great way to ensure better business practices and slowly grow a better image for the dealership. It will require patience and hard work, but it will be worth it every time. Do you believe you need more guidance and strategies to grow more sales? Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your dealership!