How should I respond to online reviews?
When people leave good and bad reviews about your healthcare practice online, they expect to be acknowledged. Read on learn the best ways to respond to reviews or check out our blog post: How to respond to negative reviews and fix your online reputation.
How to Respond to Positive Reviews
If a person complimented your sweater, you would thank them. The same should be when a person praises your practice online.
Be natural when recognizing positive reviews. Remember, this person took time to let the world know how great your healthcare practice is. Show some appreciation, even if your message is as short and sweet as, “Thank you, [reviewer’s name].”
A few other sample responses to positive reviews include:
- “Thank you for the kind words, [reviewer’s name]. We look forward to seeing you again soon.”
- “Thank you for taking the time to leave such wonderful feedback! Have a great day, [reviewer’s name]!”
- “We appreciate you and your kind feedback, [reviewer’s name]. Thank you for visiting us, and we look forward to seeing you in the future.”
- “We appreciate your positive review of our practice, [reviewer’s name]. Thank you and have a lovely day!
Notice how all of these responses include the reviewer’s name. This is an easy way to add a personal touch to each response.
How to Respond to Negative Reviews
It’s easy to become defensive when a person writes negatively about you or your healthcare practice, which makes responding to negative reviews tricky. When you practice receives a negative review, take a step back and really listen to what the reviewer is saying.
If the reviewer is complaining about an issue that you already recognize as a problem, let them know and explain how you are working to find a solution. You’d be surprised as to how receptive a disgruntled reviewer can be when a practice takes ownership.
If you think a complaint is unwarranted or unfair, recognize the patient’s feelings and offer to connect offline.
When responding to negative reviews, it is important to never admit fault and to never reveal any protected health information.
Sample Negative Review Response:
“Thank you for taking the time to leave this feedback. We are sorry to hear that your experience at our practice was not ideal, and we apologize for any inconvenience you might have faced.
We are committed to providing you with the best medical care and customer service, so we’d appreciate the opportunity to connect with you offline and discuss your concerns in more detail. Please reach out to us via phone or email so that we can discuss further and work toward a resolution. Thank you.”
How to Respond to Fake Reviews
On occasion, you could receive poor ratings and negative comments from people who are not and have never been patients at your healthcare practice. What do you do?
First, check your EMR and Practice Portal to make sure you have no record of this person as a patient. Next, flag the review. Click the flag icon — location depends on the platform — and then select your reason for flagging. See more details regarding flagging a review on Google here. You can also try calling the online platform to ask them to remove the fake review.
If you cannot have the review removed, the next alternative is to respond in a way that makes it clear that the review is not genuine. This allows other users to see that the original complaint is likely invalid. Responding also allows prospective patients to witness your professionalism and concern.
Sample Fake Review Response:
“Hello and thank you for your feedback. We are not able to confirm that you have visited our healthcare practice. If you visited our practice under another name, please contact us at [email address] or [phone number] so we can discuss your concerns in more detail. Thank you.”
For more help responding to online reviews, contact your Customer Success Manager.