In the world of business and marketing, every weakness can be converted into strength and every threat into an opportunity. As such, getting negative feedback from a customer is not the end of the world – in fact it is the perfect opportunity for you to create a longer lasting relationship with them as a result of being able to convert this negative review into a positive experience for both the brand and the consumer.

The first thing to keep in mind is that you should fight the instinct to jump to the defence of your brand when you see a negative review. You could come across as hostile and defensive to the person making the complaint and other visitors to your online platforms as well. Instead, practice a planned approach in which you could actually help resolve the issue. Take the customers complaint to heart and see how you could help them out in the process. If it is a solvable complaint, chances are your personalized response will help bring them back to the path of purchase and also have a positive effect on others who read the conversation.

The next thing you should be doing is keeping a close watch on what others are saying about you – your own online platforms are not the only places a customer could leave a comment. If you are able to pick up on these negative reviews early, you will be able to solve them early as well and as such convert unpleasant prior experiences into positive new ones. The fact that you took the time to find out their issues and address them will go a long way for you.

The third aspect and the most important to take note of is how you craft your responses. Ideally you should plan ahead for all possible complaints and negative reviews in order for you to have ready responses to offer, giving you time to deal with the issue while acknowledging the points your reviewers are making. Make sure you write like a person for instance instead of sounding like an entity. If the review has a valid point, admit to the mistake and apologize for any inconvenience caused as a result. This is also a point where you could highlight your strengths while dealing with the weaknesses mentioned.

The biggest issue to solve within your organization is one of perspective. Don’t be disheartened by negative reviews. Keep the points made here in mind and keep a positive attitude about negative reviews because they are yet another opportunity that gives you the opportunity to engage with your customers in a more positive manner in future.