Have you received a negative review on your dental practice website? It can be very disheartening to see that after all the effort of ensuring your practice delivers quality and value to patients, there is something that a patient has seen in your service that hasn’t satisfied them.
The most business strives for perfection in their service and, subsequently, aim to achieve as many five-star reviews as they can. When online users search for a dental practice, how are they judged? They are most likely judged through the online feedback received from existing patients.
When you receive negative reviews and online users see them, your first thought is likely to be negative. However, we’re here to tell you that negative reviews are also as significant as positive reviews.
How and why you ask? Negative reviews can help pinpoint any potential gaps in your service that you probably couldn’t think of yourself. When patients point it out in a review, what is the first thing you should do? Act to correct it.
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Here’s why negative reviews are actually positive for your dental practice.
It Is An Opportunity To Promote Engagement
Some businesses may disagree with a negative review received and reply in an equally negative way. Some may censor the feedback and review it. Neither of them is the correct action.
How about engaging them with a solution to their problem? You should also consider apologising to them but do all you can to change their opinion on your service. This shows excellent engagement and a willingness to help resolve their concern.
It Shows You’re Not Perfect
Negative reviews should be considered a chance to shine. The service you provide will also include the ability to transform negative opinion into something positive. This will demonstrate your dedication in preventing it from happening again. The way you serve your customers will make or break your practice.
Nothing is ever perfect, and a negative review here and there only shows that you’re human. Although, it delivers an opportunity to prove how you respond.
It Builds Trust And Loyalty
Whilst it is important to respond to every patient review, attempting to solve it also demonstrates loyalty. A hollow response to the customer demonstrates a lack of care. Respond quickly to negative customers and show empathy. Patients want to see that you care and are willing to improve. When they see this, they’re more likely to give you another chance, giving you the opportunity to build trust further down the line.
It Is An Opportunity To Learn
Bad reviews help to expose something in your service that patients believe is wrong. Whilst this doesn’t necessarily demonstrate something is actually wrong with your service, patients may seek a specific kind of service that suits them. This is an opportunity to improve your service and integrate the feedback you’ve received into how you manage patient needs. Use this as a chance to grow and improve.
Summary
Negative reviews are considered to have a damaging impact on business in general. This is because of the way negative reviews are perceived. This is the wrong way of thinking. Use negative reviews to identify service improvements to satisfy the patient. If you need support in how to manage negative reviews, hiring a marketing assistant has proven to be beneficial. Negative reviews can impact your dental practice in positive ways in which you could have never imagined. It will feel as if no negative reviews even existed.
Do you need support with managing negative reviews? Are you struggling to receive patient reviews? You can read here to learn the best methods to ask patients. Alternatively, contact us at Smile and grow today and we will be happy to help.
