We were looking for a roofer and had several bids. Before we chose, my wife looked at reviews for the candidates.
One roofer who was in the running had mostly excellent reviews. But one review stood out, which I’ve edited slightly to protect the guilty:
“[The owner] wouldn’t even go on top of the roof to take a look, making excuses that it’s a 3-story building and that ladders are heavy. He then proceeded to quote me for a repair, which I called him on for not even going to the roof to take a look. I’ve never seen anyone look so dumbfounded, like I was just supposed to roll with it?”
Okay, an issue. But something that could be fixed, right?
The owner of the company didn’t try to fix it, however. Instead, he posted this response:
“Wow, what a cheap shot coming from a loser that can’t even take a verbal roof quote, let alone pull the trigger and get it fixed. What would make you think I owe it to you. You got a simple quote with a guarantee. . . to fix 1 simple leak. . . But then again, what would you know about maintaining a roof, you’re just a Big Crybaby.”
Needless to say, we crossed this roofer off our list.
His response is practically a master class in how NOT to respond to a bad review. How many jobs has he lost, and will continue to lose, because of it?
I have long said the best way to handle a bad review is to ignore it. Let the weight of the good reviews “bury” the stinkers.
Given the current state of “the world,” today I think I would revise that and admit that there are times when you simply have to respond.
I’m not going to give you any guidelines about when you should or shouldn’t do that, however. I’ll wimp out and simply say, “it depends.”
But I will say that if there is a review you believe needs a response, you probably shouldn’t do it yourself.
Have someone respond on your behalf. (No, not your lawyer.) Someone in your office who will remain calm, cool, and collected and make you look good.
Someone who won’t sound defensive or argumentative or make excuses.
Someone who will provide a thoughtful and caring response, apologize if appropriate, offer to make things right, and then invite the client to continue “the conversation” in private.
So it doesn’t turn into an online battle, and so you can indeed make it right.
You may not be able to placate every unhappy reviewer, but you can show the world that you tried.
