In this episode of "Coffee Talk with Jill," Jill, the owner, and CEO of Jill Allen & Associates will be talking about reviews! And more specifically, what you should be doing if (when) you get a bad one. 

Seeing a negative review for the first time can be devastating. I know this can be a challenging thing to deal with in your business, but one thing I can tell you is that bad reviews happen in every business and in every industry. Think about it, bad reviews happen at your local coffee shop, your grocery store, and your favorite restaurant down the street, but those reviews don't always stop you from frequenting that establishment. These reviews may influence our buying habits, but we are often willing to overlook a few bad reviews if a majority of the reviews are positive. 

So, here are a few tips to help you deal with a bad review!

Let Go of Emotion: Take some time to let the review sink in. Do some investigation and get the full story from your team. You can't respond to a review or figure out how to fix it if you aren't completely informed on what has happened. Then respond directly to that review within 24 hours. Doing this provides you with ample time to investigate the situation, let go of emotion, and formulate what you want to say. 

Respond with Empathy: When you respond to the review, focus on responding with empathy. It shows the patient that their concerns have been heard and validates their feelings.

Move Correspondence Offline: Moving further correspondence off of the review platform or internet is critical. You do not want your unhappy patient to respond with more harsh words in a public setting.

Remember, this is all about PR. 

Bury It: If resolve between you and the patient wasn't achievable, it's time to bury that review! I want you to call on all of your practice mavens, influencers, friends and family, and ask them to give you a beaming five-star review. Let the people who know and love your practice show their appreciation and advocate for you. This will increase your rating and reverse any residual effects of the bad review.  

Reflect: Once the review has been dealt with, the only thing left to do is reflect. Ultimately, this review should serve as a learning moment for you and your team. 

Take ownership of that review and talk it out. There is always something you can do to improve!

If you would like to find out more about Jill Allen & Associates or ways we may be able to help your practice, use the contact us page to schedule a complimentary consultation with Jill!

Don't forget to tune in next week for another episode of "Coffee Talk with Jill"! Jill will be sharing insight into benchmarks for smaller practices and indicators you can use to make sure you are making the next hire at the right time.