The Value of a One-Star Review
No one wants a 1-star review.
I once had a CEO order me to disable all the 1-star and 2-star reviews on the company eCommerce store because 1-star reviews would tick off the owners and make the company look bad. At the time, and even more so now, I felt that was a mistake. It was unethical. It was a disservice to the customers and ignored the reviewers’ issues. It was cowardly and swept any problems out of sight and under the rug. It shames me to this day.
One-Star Improvement Opportunities
1-star reviews are opportunities. They’re opportunities to improve your company and ecommerce operations. They’re opportunities to engage unhappy customers and potentially turn them into advocates. If nothing else, they’re opportunities to demonstrate to other potential customers that your company cares about the customer and will work hard to make things right.
Demonstrating a Commitment to the Customer
Everyone understands that things don’t always go as planned. Having the occasional 1-star review is something that most potential customers will understand. What really matters is how you address your 1-star reviews online and demonstrating to the customer and anyone who reads the review that your company cares enough to genuinely address the reviewer’s comments in good faith.
When dealing with a 1-star review consider the following:
- Stay Calm: Read the review thoroughly, understanding the customer’s concerns. Avoid responding immediately if emotions are running high.
- Acknowledge the Feedback: Start your response by acknowledging the customer’s feedback and thanking them for taking the time to share their experience. This shows that you value customer input and are open to improving. Example: “Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to share your experience with us.”
- Apologize Sincerely: Offer a genuine apology for the customer’s negative experience, regardless of who is at fault. This helps defuse tension and shows empathy. Example: “We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet expectations.”
- Address Specific Concerns: Address the issues mentioned in the review directly and explain any steps you’re taking to resolve them. This demonstrates that you take feedback seriously and are committed to making improvements. Example: “We understand that [specific issue] was a problem. We’re taking steps to address this by [describe steps].”
- Invite Further Communication: Offer a direct line of communication for the customer to provide more details or discuss the issue further. This shows you’re open to resolving their concerns privately. Example: “We’d love to discuss this further and find a resolution. Please reach out to us directly at [contact information].”
- Keep it Professional: Maintain a professional tone throughout the response. Avoid arguing, defending your position aggressively, or making excuses, which can escalate the situation.
- Monitor Feedback: After responding, monitor the review and any subsequent feedback. If the customer responds or the issue persists, take additional steps to resolve it.
- Reflect and Improve: Use the review as an opportunity to reflect on internal processes. Make any necessary changes to prevent similar issues from recurring in the future.
By following this process, you can handle 1-star reviews effectively, mitigate their impact, and potentially turn a negative experience into an opportunity for improvement.
Build a Backend Handling Process
Bad Reviews aren’t always the eCommerce system’s fault and the things that the customer is complaining about on a review might be completely out of your hands. It could be a delivery issue. The wrong product could have been selected by the packing team. It could have been any number of issues. It doesn’t matter. Whatever it is, it is ESSENTIAL that the eCommerce team take ownership of it even if it may not be their fault. What is important is that the customer’s issues are addressed.
Build a backend process that catalogs and responds to any issues which turn up in the reviews process. This is an opportunity to understand the potential problems in the rest of the business that negatively impact eCommerce sales. Working to address any problems will build you better sales in the mid and longer term.
Embrace Your One-Star Reviews
Embrace your One-Star reviews. You company and eCommerce will be the better for it. An active process to acknowledge 1-star reviews and work to address them will serve your ecommerce well in the long run. It builds trust with new and existing customers. It builds the eCommerce teams pride in their work and sets a good example of the importance if the customer to the rest of the business.
