Unfortunately, all orthodontic practices get negative reviews – we’ve all been there. Whether it’s as a result of a misunderstanding or you made a mistake (we know it happens), it never feels good. But a negative review can result in a number of helpful opportunities for your practice if you handle it properly. Our reputation management team at Ortho Marketing has some tips to help you turn that patient’s frown upside down. Take a look:
KEEP IT PROFESSIONAL
We know it’s frustrating to receive a negative review, but trust us when we say: YOU HAVE TO KEEP YOUR COOL. One slightly negative review can blow up very quickly if your practice responds in an unprofessional manner. Breathe, and take a moment to absorb what motivated this patient to leave a negative review. If they were rude in their review, that’s okay – more opportunity for you to change their mind. If you’re snide back to them, it will only hurt your practice in the long run. Be professional, and set the tone for the responsibility you take on behalf of your practice.
RESPOND IN A TIMELY FASHION
We should clarify one of our many mottos at Ortho Marketing:
NEVER LET A REVIEW GO UNANSWERED.
You have to respond. Not responding at all shows a clear disinterest in bettering your practice and a lack of value for your practice’s opinions.
So, now that it’s clear that not responding isn’t really in your practice’s best interest, we can clarify what we mean by “a timely fashion”. After you’ve taken a deep breath and planned out your appropriate response, you should reply as soon as possible. The quicker and more thought out your response, the clearer it’ll be to this reviewer (and potential patients reading your reviews) that their opinions matter.
SHOW YOU CARE
We’ve sort of hinted at this here and there, but this is arguably the most important takeaway of this blog. Regardless of whether you feel you deserved this negative review, it’s essential that you demonstrate your appreciation of patient feedback. When crafting your response, keep a couple things in mind that will help get this point across:
- Always apologize. Even if you don’t really think it’s necessary, an apology is a requirement.
- If the review is due to a misunderstanding on the part of the patient, explain it. DO NOT just say they’re wrong.
- If it’s at the fault of you, a staff member, or the practice as a whole, sincerely emphasize that you are doing what you can to remedy the issue. Explain, in as much or little detail as you deem necessary, the specific actions being taken to fix it.
- Compensation is never a bad idea, but don’t do it right there in the response. If you feel the patient is entitled to a discount or reimbursement of some kind, refer them to email you for the details.
TALK TO THE PROS
As far as reputation management is concerned, handling negative reviews is one of the toughest concepts and one of the most important to master. If you are in need of a reputation management for orthodontists team that can handle even your toughest reviews with grace, or just want some more tips on reputation management for your practice, Presentation Multimedia is always here to help. For more information, or to schedule a consultation with our reputation management team, contact our pros at Ortho Marketing today!
