Businesses used to worry about official reviews coming from journalists and other news-related professionals. Companies put their best products and services out for judgment. In today’s fast-paced world, however, reviews are always being created by the average consumer.

Keep in mind that negative reviews can significantly tarnish the reputation of the brand and the trust that customers place upon the brand. It can result in a significant blow to the profits generated by the company and it might even cause the brand to lose a considerable amount of customers. There are a few strategies that businesses can adopt to deal with negative feedback, such as partnering up with firms that excel at Review Management, having a good PR agency to handle reputation crises, or implementing proactive measures to address customer concerns before they escalate.

That said, there is a possibility that you may not even know that you’ve received a positive or negative review through online platforms. It’s time to keep up with the speed of virtual progress. Learn how you can respond and cultivate clients through online reviews.

Going Manual

You can always respond to reviews by manually checking each website. There are a few popular ones that will be frequent guests on your browser’s tabs. You might try a search engine too. Be aware that manually checking for online reviews will take time. You should also perform this work at least once a week. Bookmark the review sites that are used by most consumers. Being a regular visitor to the site shows that you care about your business and clientele.

Try a Dashboard Response

An alternative to responding manually is working with CEM software. This customer-experience tool works as an add-on for your computer. Download the software, and you’ll be able to pull any reviews to your dashboard. In fact, you can set it up so that notifications occur at the very moment a review posts on another website.

Seeing reviews right on your computer takes the legwork out of visiting each customer review platform. The reviews might come from more than 50 different websites. You’ll always know what’s going on when it comes to your business’s reputation.

Categorize Reviews by Location

If you have multiple stores across the nation, it’s incredibly difficult to keep up with every review out of each facility. By using CEM resources, your computer dashboard fills up with categorized reviews. You’ll know which location has the most positive or negative reviews. Make a note of facilities that go without reviews too.

All of this data gives you a chance to make a name for yourself. Make it a point to respond to reviews from stores that are just starting out. Treat new customers right so that they’re more inclined to return.

Respond With Directed Sympathy

Customer-experience data gives you exact information regarding each review. The software collects keywords and phrases that pertain to certain situations, such as bad customer service or poor phone skills. As a company owner or manager, you’ll know the main problems with each store as the data continues to filter in.

With this knowledge, respond with sympathy that’s directed at the main issue. If a customer feels offended by a distracted associate, that perception must be acknowledged and offered a solution in the future.

Keep up With Social Media

Another way that businesses can keep up with their online reviews is by paying attention to social media. Although these reviews aren’t necessarily official, comments made through these channels are worth reading. You might nip an issue in the bud by offering a comment through social media.

Be Aware of Top Sites

Don’t forget that CEM resources also work with the top, review sites in the virtual marketplace today. Use this information to know where your customers go when reviews are on their minds. Prioritize these sites because a rapid response is just as important as the content itself. Answering a review from two months ago will never have the same impact as a response offered a few hours after the fact.

At the end of the day, it’s impossible to please every person. You’ll always have both positive and negative reviews. It’s your response that plays the biggest role in these situations. Always offer a solution and remain professional with any review response. These conversations are a matter of public record that can sway your clientele to either try your company or avoid it altogether.