3 Steps To Remove Complaints

Remove Complaints With the Reputation Professionals

3 Steps to remove complaints. Do you own a business? If so, it is likely that your company depends on great reviews and referrals. Or perhaps you are applying for a new position at work or a new job… a good outcome rests upon having very few negative complaints about you or your business. If and when you receive a complaint, therefore, that can be incredibly hurtful. And, unfortunately, it can also be so damaging to your overall reputation.

That single negative comment that you find among many positive reviews may seem unimportant. Nevertheless, it may be all that a prospective customer will need to see in order to shy away from your business. The impact of even one complaint can be tremendous, particularly if it is not managed properly.

So what are you supposed to do? You are likely to feel quite emotional but you need to keep your feelings in check. Do not go on the attack or on the defensive, no matter how much your instincts tell you that is exactly what you need to do. Rather, you need to know the three steps to remove complaints, so that your business may come out looking great. And do always remember not to take complaints personally. You can’t please everybody, after all. Learn more about Online Reputation Management

Steps to Take:

1. Respond Publicly and Directly to the Complaint

The first thing you have to do is acknowledge that there is a complaint. You must directly speak to the customer in a way that others can see as well.

“Depending on the context, this may be the best way to proceed. If the complaint is sincere, apologize for their experience and explain how you plan to prevent that from happening in the future.”

At the same time, you have to be careful about this. You don’t want your acknowledgment to become a long-winded conversation, because that will push up the rankings of the complaint. This means that it will actually be easier for others to find it.

2. Be Thankful

Did you know that out of every 10 customers that have a complaint to make, only two will actually tell you about it? This means, first of all, that they still want to work with you on the issue. Secondly, it means that they have given you an opportunity to make the necessary changes. That is something to be thankful about and you should tell them that.

The old saying “kill them with kindness” could not be more true in a situation with a customer complaint. But rather than pretend to care, genuinely let them know you are thankful they are sharing their complaint or concern. This allows you the opportunity to resolve the issue and avoid a public complaint that requires a formal removal.

3. Learn from What Has Happened

The final thing you have to do, is make sure to learn from the experience. As previously stated, it is impossible to make everybody happy. But you can listen to what your customer is saying, and use that to avoid similar problems in the future. You can also learn from this situation in terms of how to handle complaints. Life is a learning journey after all.

“Maintain a manner of tracking customer complaints and the resolution thereof such that, over time, trends or specific issues may be identified to the point that if you see one or more specific situations occurring with any frequency systems can be amended or put into place to address the same in the future before they become future complaints.”

What you should not do is actually delete the complaint itself, unless it is particularly slanderous or defamatory. Remove complaints and typically that person will simply take it elsewhere and feel even angrier about the situation. A better approach is to turn the complaint into a compliment. And if you feel that the complaint is causing substantial damage, it is time to consult an expert by contacting a reputation management company. They will know how to make the complaint much less accessible online, if not inaccessible.

Are you ready to remove a complaint? Contact us today and improve your online presence.