I completed a job for a residential client two years ago and had no contact since then. Recently, she left four negative reviews online, claiming that we never returned her calls, overcharged her, and didn’t seal the concrete patio.
In reality, we provided her a discount at the end of the job, and she never reached out to us or our employees. After finishing the job, she was so pleased she even tipped my employees.
During our recent meeting, I maintained professionalism, but she asked me to leave her property and then called me back when I was driving away asking me to come back, I came back and she started explaining that recently she had fallen and hit her head. She demanded we address the concrete issue and other problems caused by another contractor, all while insisting the negative reviews remain online, even after we resolve everything.
Unfortunately, she’s an 80-year-old client who seems to be experiencing cognitive issues. I’m seeking advice on how to handle the situation and get the negative reviews removed without making matters worse. I feel like any response to her bad reviews explains cognitive decline is going to make me look worse. Any guidance would be appreciated.
I would just respond with exactly what you did to remedy the issue and how you tried to work with her without being accusatory or suggesting anything about her mental state or personal info. Don’t focus on getting them removed. Whenever I see negative reviews with a professional response from the business owner it let’s me know that the client was the problem. There are a lot of people out there who are going to leave negative reviews. All you can do is address them in a polite and professional manner and move on. Trying to remove them shows lack of integrity IMO.
Negative reviews can be good. You do enough business, you won’t please everyone, no matter what you do. Respond professionally and move on.