“When you turn professional, you become an entertainer, and like every other entertainer; you don't want to get a bad review.”

This quote by esteemed Olympic Gold Medallist, Scott Hamilton may have been taken out of an entirely different context but fits like a glove whenever reviews are mentioned. In an increasingly connected online world, reviews – for both products and services – are fast becoming a crucial factor influencing purchase decisions. So much so that today, you can’t possibly think of procuring a new phone or trying out a new restaurant without first conducting a thorough online research. Be it a new gadget or a holiday destination or even a DIY blog, there are plenty of portals that give you a more than just a sneak peek into the actual thick of things. Not only are people looking for information about products and services but they are also posting their own views and reviews for them.

Well, that’s a take from the reader’s perspective, what do companies get from it? Is there really a “what’s-in-it-for-me” angle for marketers and businesses too here? Apparently! Sites like tripadvisor.com report that an increase of even 1 star in their hotel ratings may lead to a 10% increase in the stay prices of these places. Interesting, isn’t it? And this theory is not just any hypothesis. Various studies conducted on the power of reviews actually go on to cement the theory that reviews impact sale – BIG TIME! So, no wonder that organisations keep a watchful eye on everything that is being said about them online. In a cut-throat competition like today, who knows which review could sink or sail an organisation.

Living with the Reviews

Reviews are not just empty chatter that people post online; and people who do think like that have a lot to learn from the Dietz Development case. When a customer of Dietz Development thought of getting a little cheeky and posted a review alleging that the company did not finish the renovation work on her house and even stole some of her jewellery, she didn’t know how rough things could get. DD filed an Internet Defamation Case against the customer claiming that her review cost them $300,000 in business. Cheap thrills in life aren’t that cheap after all!

Having established the power that online reviews have in the internet arena today, let’s go a step further and see whether this raw power can be tamed or not. Yes, you may have no or limited control over how people perceive you and your offerings and that you have even lesser control on the reviews they write, but what you do have is the power of making them work for you. In other words, maybe being proactive works in most entrepreneurial cases, this, however is one place where reactions rule and timing is key.

The Good Ones

“A good, sympathetic review is always a wonderful surprise.” said Joyce Carol Oates

We all love admirers. Obviously! Being told that you are good and that you “rock” can lighten up the grimmest of days for anyone so why should organisations be any different. However, just like individuals, a warm thank you is also expected from them.  If you are applauded, don’t just sit back and wait for the applause to die down; turn it into an ovation – a standing one at that. How?

• Respond...please: A pat on the back doesn’t come every day in the internet world. Reviewers aren’t mean; they just tend to take good things for granted. But if a reviewer has taken the effort to not take you for granted, appreciate it. Respond to the review and tell them that you are grateful and have every intention of keeping up the good work. Remember, the good old “Thank you” is still a magic word.

• Don’t however fall in the trap of monetary or other form of thanks; bribery isn’t very subtle. If you however, do value the review a lot, then maybe you can send something related to the review. A dinner coupon or a cute little hamper goes a longer way than a $100 bill. Trust us!

The Tough Ones

“If you get a bad review, you take that in your stride.” said Anish Kapoor

Dealing with good reviews is like basking in compliments. When has that ever been difficult? The tricky thing however, is to deal with the haters. And if the haters happen to have a valid reason to hate your product then may God bless you my dear. Tread carefully and remember a few things:

• Hot heads are empty heads: Don’t get agitated or irritated, two angry people never solved anything. People are entitled to opinions and not all of them can be favourable. Take the review in your stride as Mr Anish suggests and be the bigger person; for your business’s sake.

• Procrastination? Not exactly an option: A bad review does more harm than about 5 good ones taken together. It spreads like jungle fire and influences several people if left unchecked. Address the issue and understand the complaint. If possible, resolve the problem; a happy reviewer might either get the complaint off or put a nice one just under it. Happy happy!

• Always remember that you can turn a negative review, no matter how bad, into positive publicity for yourself, if you handle it well. Every bad review is an opportunity for improvement in disguise (much like the relationship between setbacks and blessings).

Surviving in this competitive online world means that you need to pay attention to what people are saying. You also need to adjust your services, as much as you can, depending on what you learn from all the ‘chatter’ about you over the internet. There is a new saying in the marketing world these days: Customer is still the king; the reviewer however, is the emperor now! Keep that in mind in you’ll know your way through the maze called “user reviews”.

About the author:- Sanjay Virmani is the Co- founder of Banyan Tree Infomedia LLP which has one of the largest networks of portals. One of his favourite genres of writing happens to be biographies and he enjoys writing for portals like www.thefamouspeople.com during his free time.