Rehab Your Business Reputation
 By Stephen A. Lanvil

Word-of-mouth advertising is a powerful tool that can make or break your small business. In a perfect world, every single customer would be out there singing your praises. Unfortunately, chances are that someone, at some point, will find fault with your products or services.

Negative buzz is bad for your bottom line, especially now that Web sites like www.yelp.com and www.kudzu.com have become vital resources for discerning customers.

These and sites like them compile user-generated ratings and reviews of local businesses. They’re free, and users aren’t shy about sharing the negative experiences they have with small businesses.

Whether you’ve been badmouthed by a single detractor or ganged up on by a group of locals, the key to rehabilitating your image is effectively managing complaints. Here’s how.

Keep your finger on the pulse
Make like a prospective customer and Google your business to see what people are saying about your service, your products or both.

Performing this exercise regularly should give you a good handle on your public image. (Remember, reputations can change quickly.)

You can solicit additional feedback by sending out customer surveys or installing a good old-fashioned suggestion box. As you sift through these comments, avoid the impulse to interpret someone’s critique as a personal attack.

Keep things positive and professional by focusing on the solution instead of the problem.

Talk to your critics
Some customers will address a complaint to you directly. Others will choose to write a scathing review of your business on their blog or a Web site like Yelp.

When you receive a negative comment (in person or online), reframe it as a respectful dialogue by responding quickly and thoughtfully. Restate the problem in your own words so the customer feels like you’ve been listening. Try not to make excuses (even if they’re valid). After all, your goal is to please the customer, not to win an argument.

Make amends
You have a powerful incentive to make amends with your unhappy customers: The very fact that they are opinionated and vocal means that they’re likely to let people know when you make things right.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for customer service issues, so it’s best to stay flexible. Sometimes, a sincere apology is all it takes to appease an disgruntled customer. Other times, the situation might warrant a replacement, a refund, a discount or a freebie.

Use your judgment and the customer’s reaction as your guide.

Consider the big picture
With the right attitude, you can use negative feedback as fuel to better your business.

Once you have addressed a complaint at the level of the individual, it’s time to make an honest assessment of whether further action is necessary. Take a step back and ask yourself if the complaint represents an isolated incident or a chronic problem.

There’s a big difference between, say, an allegedly rude employee who had a bad day and one who has ongoing performance issues. Did your customer’s feedback surprise you or did it sound familiar?

Identifying a trend is a reliable sign that you need to make a change.

Let AFS consultants help
Not sure how to respond to bad buzz about your business? The AFS ProTalk^® consultants can help. Unlimited access to ProTalk business consultants is only a phone call or keystroke away for AFS members. And consultations with these professionals are included in the cost of your membership!

(Posted April 2010)

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