Back
How to handle bad reviews and protect your business reputation
Knowing how to handle bad reviews is essential for protecting your business reputation, especially in high-value home improvement decisions where trust plays a major role. Not only is a bad review, or good, an opportunity for customers to get a feel for your business, but they can also be a valuable tool for your business, period.
86% of UK consumers research or get inspiration online before they make a home improvement purchase.
Research released by media agency UM revealed that when considering a home improvement purchase, 86% of customers will do research online beforehand. As a high-level spend, replacing windows and doors or building a conservatory or extension is generally carried out by professionals.
As a ‘one-off’ purchase, it may be the first time a consumer has even looked into local glazing companies. Having a bank of reviews can provide the element of trust.
Only one in ten customers who have had a good experience with your company will leave a positive review. Customers who have had a bad experience are two to three times more likely to post a review online.
The best way to avoid negative reviews is to provide an excellent customer experience. Take a look at the service you are offering – is it good? Do you stick to your time frames and keep your promises?
Negative reviews are not always a bad thing. If handled correctly, they can provide a valuable marketing tool for your business. In fact, a few bad reviews give more authority to your good reviews. If a company has solely positive feedback, it can be seen by consumers as inauthentic.
It’s how a company handles these negative reviews that sets them apart.
When a customer feels that they have had a negative experience with your company, it’s because their expectations were not lived up to. That is down to you. If your marketing materials say that a job will be completed in a day and you take three, you have set that standard.
It’s always best to put your hands up, admit you were at fault and explain why your service was not up to scratch. This will not only clarify for the customer themselves, but also for any potential customers researching your company.
Even the worst of comments can be used to make your business look helpful, knowledgeful and positive.
If your business needs help with publicity or some advice on how to tackle a bad review, take a look at how our dedicated PR team can help.
Need help responding to a bad review?
If you’re dealing with negative feedback and want to turn a negative review into a positive, we can help you tighten your messaging, improve how your business shows up online, and put a clear response process in place. Speak to our team via the contact page, email grow@purplexmarketing.com, or call 01934 808132. You can also explore our services: PR & Communications, SEO, PPC, Social Media, and LeadTracker.
You might like to read
If you’re working on online reputation, trust, and lead generation, these related articles build on the same ideas and give you practical next steps.
The power of reviews for glazing companies
How reviews build trust and support home improvement buying decisions.
Reviews: how they can support your PPC strategy
How review signals can improve ad confidence and conversion rates.
Why brand trust is so important
What makes customers choose you when competitors offer similar products?
How to cut through the noise with PR
A practical PR approach for protecting reputation and shaping perception.
About the Author – Martyn East
I’m Martyn East, an SEO Executive at Purplex. I write about practical marketing that protects reputation and drives enquiries. If you want to turn a negative review into a positive, you need two things: a calm, human response and a plan that backs it up with better customer experience, stronger search visibility, and consistent messaging across your website, listings, and social channels.
Connect with me on LinkedIn or read more: Martyn East.
This entry was posted in PR, Purplex News
