How to Deal with Damage Done by Online Trolls and Negative Reviews

by wendell@iolmarketing.com on September 29th, 2014

It’s never a good feeling for a business to get a negative review. However, it can be a golden opportunity to show that you care about your customers and want to work with them to achieve their satisfaction. This is not the case when the negative reviews are posted by internet trolls.

What is an Internet Troll?

You may not realize that there are people trolling the internet just looking for the opportunity to offer a negative review. They may or may not even be a customer. Their focus is to spread bad news about a company or product even if it is not true. Since reviews are based on personal opinion, they are seldom required to be substantiated. Potential customers may believe the negative information and be deterred from making a purchase or hiring the services of a company.

  • A troll can be hard to spot at first glance. They may look like a real customer with a legitimate complaint. But pay closer attention and you will be able to tell the difference.
  • A troll accuses without providing real examples. When you push for details, they can’t give you any.
  • A troll is anonymous and doesn’t want anyone to know who they are. Even if they are a legitimate customer, they won’t provide the details.
  • A troll often has a limited profile that tells nothing about them.
  • A troll ignores facts and focuses on perception.
  • A troll seeks no form of resolution. They enjoy bringing discomfort to others.

    • Stay Calm

    No company has ever gone out of business due to one negative online review and neither will yours. Most people don’t like to receive criticism especially if it’s directed at them in a negative manner. Negative online reviews “hurt” more than typical offline criticisms because anyone with an internet connection (which is probably close to 99% of your potential market) can read the remarks. As a small/medium business owner, it’s important for you to take a “step back” and separate yourself from the initial emotion. The biggest mistake some business owners make is reacting to negative online reviews as a personal attack. Negatively engaging and lashing out on the internet exacerbates the situation. No matter what happens, it’s important to for you to control your emotions as apposed to your emotions controlling you.

    Dealing with a Troll and Negative Reviews

    Unfortunately, it is difficult to get rid of a troll’s review. They usually go to sites that have high rankings but don’t do a good job of monitoring the reviewers. The problem you have is that this review will rank high when potential customers search for information about your company.

    Real customer negative reviews can be used to your advantage by working on a solution. Never attempt to resolve issues through e-mail, pick up the phone and contact the negative reviewer personally. Once the customer has been satisfied, you can ask them to post an update to their negative review to show how you made things right. Unfortunately, that cannot happen with a troll review because the troll doesn’t want resolution.

    Do not get involved in a personal battle with a troll. Respond once with a general statement if you feel you must and then leave it alone. The more attention you bring, the more it will impact your business.

    Work on replacing the negative or troll reviews with positive ones. In time, these will rank higher and potential customers will see them and give them more credence than the one negative review.

    If you do receive a negative review that is legitimate, work to make it right for the customer. When a troll review comes along, others will see how you have handled adverse situations in the past and recognize the troll for exactly what it is: a miserable person that likes to make others miserable, too. Defeat the troll by offering exceptional customer service and making sure that everyone brags about your service online where others can see it.