For many customers, online reviews are the most important criterion when deciding where to buy a product or service. All the more annoying when negative reviews cast a bad light on your company. We'll show you the best way to deal with bad reviews and even have them deleted.
90 percent of buyers read online reviews
Sometimes “the company is a sign of poverty for German crafts,” sometimes it's just “the vinaigrette a bit too sour on the finish.” In any case, online review platforms such as Google, Tripadvisor, Amazon or even Kununu are a good outlet for consumers to let off steam if the customer experience was not satisfactory. And competitors can also subtly harm themselves in this way.
Read according to a study by marketing agency BrightLocal Almost 90 percent of consumers first online reviewsbefore they make a purchase decision. Half of the respondents say they would only buy from companies with at least 4 out of 5 stars. So how can you defend yourself against negative, false, or insulting reviews?
Anonymous or under real name: Who is the author?
First, it's important to take a closer look at the review. Who is the author? Is it a real name? Or can you assign the reviewer to real customers based on other criteria? With Google reviews, for example, you can see if your reviewer has also written other reviews. This may already make it possible to draw conclusions.
However, most reviews are published anonymously. In this case, the review platform itself (i.e. Google, Kununu, etc.) is Your point of contact.
Your path to the take-down process
There are certain reviews on Google Usage guidelines. Among other things, it must not contain slander (i.e. falsehoods), insults or personal attacks. Individual employees may not be evaluated, and no self-promotion may be included. Reviews must not contain harassment, bullying, or false information, and no confidential or personally identifiable information may be revealed as part of the review.
The following examples show that the majority of evaluations cannot comply with these guidelines:
- “The employees all have no idea.” A generalization and also defamation (unless the author can prove his claim)
- “I'll never eat here again — the pizzeria across the street is much better! “Possible self-promotion.
- “The saleswoman with the distinctive mole on her nose was very rude! “Personally identifiable information, and no individual employees may be evaluated.
Even if a review doesn't violate any of the usage guidelines, it can still violate your company's general privacy rights. This allows you to initiate a so-called “notice and take down process” on Google: The review must be deleted.
Ultima Ratio: The Restraining Order
The vast majority of negative reviews on Google can be deleted in this way. There are similar usage guidelines for other rating platforms: You can also report a violation of the rules and ask for appropriate action.
The author of individual reviews is known to the company. In this case, you can also contact your critic directly: You can warn him/her and request a declaration of cease and desist. If the other party refuses this, you can have the review deleted by means of a preliminary injunction.
Should I respond to a bad review?
Many platforms allow the criticized company to react. When reviews are positive, it is a polite gesture to publicly thank the author — especially if they have reported extensively about their customer experience. However, we do not recommend replying to negative reviews: With your response, you can “make things worse.” At first glance, it may be obvious to defend yourself against unjustified allegations or to describe your own view of what has happened. However, this also allows you to recognize the criticism voiced — and it can be more difficult to have the review deleted later on.
“Work sucks! “: Kununu reviews are also contestable
The employer evaluation platform Kununu is a special case. Here, the reviews are always anonymous. However, entrepreneurs can ask to check whether the author was or is actually an employee or applicant of their own company. Kununu will contact the critic about this — most authors will then delete their contribution themselves.
