Online Complaints and Bad Reviews | Big Trouble for Small Business Part I

Online Complaints and Bad Reviews | Big Trouble for Small Business Part I


The Digital Scarlett Letter

Is your business being trashed by a bad online review? Is the complaint false? Do you suspect a competitor or former employee is behind it? Does the bad review come up on the first page of Google’s search results for your company name? You may feel like strangling someone but don't! Count to 10 and step away from the computer.

Mr. Angry Pants and The Self Fulfilling Prophecy

If your business has nothing to hide then the last thing you want to do is overreact and confirm that you really are a jerk. Conduct yourself with dignity and behave as if prospective clients or customers are watching ... because they are!

WHAT NOT TO DO...
Below we've included select quotes from a rebuttal we saw posted on a customer complaint site. Although an extreme example of total stupidity, the internet is full of business responses gone wrong. The author of this post claims to be a former service manager who is very passionate about the auto repair business in question. What we know for sure about George is that he can’t spell, loves the caps lock, has a mouth like a truck driver and would probably benefit from an anger management program or sedative. The names of places have been changed because we don’t want George pissed at us!

Title: "CHEAP AND CHRONIC COMPLAINERS NEVER SEIZE , DO THEY??"

“DEAR OWNER
IF YOUR BROTHER IN LAW WAS A MECHANIC , WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU TAKE YOUR CAR TO HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE TO GET IT FIXED??MAYBE BECAUSE HE WAS A BACK ALLEY MECANIC AND YOU WERE AFRAID HE WOULD F** IT UP??”

“AND IF YOU WERE SUCH AN INFORMED AND QUALITY CONCERNED CONSUMER , WHY THE FUCK DIDN'T YOU TAKE YOUR CAR TO THE DEALER WHERE YOU MOST LIKELY WOULD HAVE GOTTEN A HIGHER PRICE QUOTE AND WOULD NOT PIPPED A SQUEAK.”

AN EDUCATED CONSUMER AND NOT A PISS-A** CONSTANT COMPLAINER THAT COMPARES APPLES TO ORNAGES AND SCREAMS BLOODY MURDER TO MUSK HIS INABILITY TO FUNCTION AS AN EDUCATED HUMAN BEING, WOULD HAVE ASKED FOR AN ESTIMATE AND THEN COMPARED THE TOTAL WORK (WITH BLANK BRAND PARTS) TO OTHER FACILITIES (LIKE DEALERS OR CHAIN REPAIR SHIOPS) …“

BUT NO. YOU THOUGHT BY CALLING YOUR BACK ALLEY MECHANIC IN-LAW AND GETTING PARTS FROM PEP BLANK OR AUTOBLANK AND DOING THE JOB YOURSELF IS COMPARABLE TO WHAT THE REPAIR FACILITIES LIKE BLANK'S SHOULD CHARGE. GROW THE F* UP…”

“TO WRAP-UP… THE CUSTOMER ALWAYS WAS AND I AM SURE STILL IS THE N#1 PRIORITY AT BLANKS'S AND KNOWING HOW THE OWNERS WERE ALWAYS READY TO TAKE OUR HEADS OFF(ALL STORE MANAGERS) IF WE DID NOT TAKE CARE THE CUSTOMERS, I FIND THIS PERSONS STORY A FICTION ONE.

-GEORGE”

All I have to say is… DON’T BE THAT GUY! PLEASE, DON’T BE THAT GUY!

Call Katz Recruiters, Chicago for help! 630.269.3725