Using Negative Feedback to Your Advantage
If you’d like to be effective and resourceful in the creation of an excellent and profitable business, you’ll want to be intentional about the way you filter and process information. Every person will make mistakes. As an entrepreneur, your path will be filled with mistakes. There’s no way you can make it through without upsetting someone or dropping the ball in some way. This is a part of being human. As a business owner, it’s very easy to succumb to the pressure of negative feedback. Oftentimes, customers forget that business owners are people first. They can be pretty brutal in their commentary surrounding a product. Thankfully, there are ways to use negative feedback to your advantage and growth. Consider the following ways you can get through it and rise.
Eliminating the Emotions
Even though it can be very difficult to do, it’s important to try and separate who you are and what you do. Remember that those two concepts aren’t the same. When you’re able to fully embrace this concept, it’ll be easier to move forward with the knowledge that you don’t need to take anything personally. If there are a lot of comments on websites that allow customers to leave reviews, let someone else filter them. Try not to get caught up in the commentary on the internet. This will do nothing for your self-esteem. Have someone on your staff who is further removed from the commentary to filter through it all. Not only is this helpful for your mental health and self-esteem, but it’ll also be helpful for your employees to glean the helpful messaging within a negative review.
Check the Validity
It’s always wise to consider the source. Whenever your company receives a complaint or a negative review, it’s best to examine the critique and where it’s coming from. If someone is leaving a negative review on Yelp.com, take a look at their history. By clicking on their profile, you’ll be able to see whether or not they have a history of leaving disparaging reviews for small businesses. Though it sounds strange, there are tons of people who make this a hobby. Within the culture of social media, these people are called trolls. Learn to decipher the difference between a customer who had a bad experience and a habitual troll. When you’re able to check the validity of a source, you’ll be able to move forward with an informed understanding of ways your business can improve its practices.
Conducting Various Tests
When you’re creating and producing a product that will go out to the masses, you’ll want to conduct various tests in order to make sure everything goes smoothly. Conduct various test group sessions. Find people who are within your target market. Bring them together to test the product thoroughly. It’s also important to consider what the shipping process is like. Even if you’re using a dropshipping service in order to deliver products, connect with your manufacturers. Read books about dropshipping to learn more about how to effectively manage this process in a responsible manner. The dropshipping experience isn’t one that should ever go unchecked. Instead, make sure you have strong relationships with everyone within the process. As you streamline your experience with testing your products and processes, it’ll be easier to improve and lessen the number of negative complaints.
Implementing a Formidable Customer Service Department
Negative feedback is inevitable. However, when it’s managed properly, a negative review can transform into a positive one. This can be the direct result of an effective customer service team. Be extremely intentional about building an effective customer service team. When you hire someone to be one of the first points of contact for the company, you’ll want to make sure that this person has a number of soft skills. Soft skills are just as important as hard skills when you’re working in customer service. You’ll want to find people who can be patient and calm under pressure. You’ll also want people who enjoy interacting with people. There are many people who do better behind the scenes. When you’re able to discover the strengths of your team members, place them in roles that magnify those strengths. Your company will benefit as a result.
Improving Business Practices
As your customer service team gets feedback from the negative experiences that customers have, don’t ignore the commentary. Once it’s been vetted and proven to be true, make the necessary steps to change the way your company operates. If your product is lotion and multiple customers are receiving broken lotion bottles in the mail, it’s time to invest in better bottles that can withstand the shipping process. Furthermore, find ways to go above and beyond. Look at some of the criticisms other similar companies get. Do your best to stay ahead of the curve by eliminating those conversations within your company.