Don’t be surprised if we tell you that people check Google reviews before choosing the senior living community to know whether the facility is good.

This is the power of Google reviews, and if you are running a senior living community, you must buy Google 5 star reviews to enhance your brand image and reputation.

But what if the existing ones have some negative comments, or you get negative remarks while asking for more reviews? How will you deal with them? This blog will help you understand how to handle negative reviews perfectly.

Tips To Handle Negative Google Reviews For Senior Living Communities

Google reviews are essential as they affect your search results, rankings, and brand reputation. So, you must reply properly to these reviews, especially the negative ones. Here are some tips for you.

• Don’t Sound Defensive

Bad reviews can hurt, especially if the review done for your senior living community is inaccurate. However, remember that the critic can voice and—more importantly—share their opinions.

How do you handle it?

• Firstly, never respond when angry since your reaction will show.
• Second, to obtain an unbiased assessment, make sure someone else reads the review once you have drafted it before publishing it.
• Lastly, accept that you cannot please everyone, and there will always be people who will remain unhappy. So, the best way is to acknowledge, revert, and move on.

• Don’t Panic

A bad review can make you feel bad and leave you with weird thoughts about how to reply to the other person. However, you must not panic and take any step immediately

Remember, a bad review is not the end of the world, and believe it or not, every senior living community would have received at least one bad or negative review.

Some research also suggests that bad reviews can be good for your business. When people see a mix of good and bad, they consider the positive ones more genuine. So, never panic after seeing a negative review.

• Reply Professionally

When a happy client leaves a negative Google review, it can come as a shock. But look at the positive side: You have a chance to show your professionalism and that you still care for them.

Handling the negative review in the right way can win back your client. You must stay calm and reply with empathy. Start by acknowledging how your senior living community client may be feeling.

You can say, “I am sorry to know your problem (name). It is not the level of service we offer to our clients.” Such a statement will reflect that you listen and care about their feelings.

Don’t forget to add a personal touch by taking their name and customizing the reply. It will make the whole thing more one-on-one and show that you are personally involved in resolving the matter.

• Reply Quickly

Replying quickly does not mean replying immediately. It is a good practice to respond to your reviews within a minimum of 24 hours and a maximum of 48 hours to show that you consider customer service essential.

For example, if someone has left a review about not caring for people in your senior living community, you must figure out the problem, find a solution, draft a response, and communicate as soon as possible.

Clear communication and quick actions will allow you to show how quickly you act to make things better for your company and the people who trust in it.

• Take Conversation Offline

Complaints and reviews can be about the smallest of things, and issues that are serious can cause serious damage to your senior living community’s image. Thus, you should handle them offline.

Before replying to them online, if you have their contact details, give them a call and understand the situation. If you don’t, you can respond with your details and ask them to call you back for a discussion.

You should solve the issue offline, as these people can always change their minds and leave you a good review after they feel you have handled the situation well.

• Always Respond

This can be debatable as some may suggest to see whether or not it is necessary to reply to a negative comment. At times, people feel that negative comments are just online bullies.

You cannot do much to change the situation, and that may be true in some cases. However, it is better to keep your head high and always reply.

Remember, replying to a negative comment is not just about answering the questions many potential customers may have after reading it. People reading the comment can also determine whether the reviewer is genuine.

If the review is valid, you will be considered a company that values customer feedback. Even if the review is inaccurate, you will still be regarded as good for taking the time to reply.

• Acknowledge The Review

Always remember not everything said in the review may be true for your business. But as a golden rule, always acknowledge what is said, even if you disagree.

You can write, “I understand you feel our team was not professional. Thank you for your feedback. I acknowledge the issue and will resolve it at the earliest.”

Conclusion

Even if you get one negative review or many, remember it is not the end of your senior living community business. It is especially true if you handle each review properly and efficiently.

Customers understand that businesses have their ups and downs, and they often view a mix of positive and negative reviews as a sign of authenticity. A company that exclusively receives good feedback may cause people to wonder.

So, don’t worry. Use this post as a reference to manage negative reviews easily. In the interim, you can always buy Trustpilot reviews to improve your brand’s reputation.