Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/571090
August 31 - September 21, 2015 17 Working World l WorkingWorld.com everyone in your organization understands what it is and is working toward it. Step Seven: When you are interacting with people, ask them what they think. You already know some of them have no problem sharing their opinions with the world, so they will probably be willing to candidly tell you the good, bad, and ugly. Asking your customers or clients for help can prove extremely beneficial. "We are working hard to improve. Would you be willing to talk to me for a few minutes? Thank you. What two or three things could we have done differently in order to make you experience with us better?" If at all possible, have these conversations verbally. You may be surprised by the quantity and quality of information you are able to quickly gather. Step Eight: Once you have a clear sense of what is going on with your business and are on the road to smoothing out the rough spots, get back to the reviews. It's time to answer them. First, thank the reviewer for letting you know about a problem and include something good about yourself, too. "Thank you for your feedback, and I'm sorry your son's birthday experience with us wasn't what you expected. We've hosted over a thousand birthday parties for children in our five years of business, and we strive to delight each of our guests." Second, describe what you have done to prevent the issue from occurring again. "We've taken a few steps to prevent what happened to you from happening to another parent of a birthday boy or birthday girl. Since your visit, our staff has taken several classes to improve their service skills. They've focused specifically on techniques for positively engaging with children." Third, ask the person to give you a second chance. "Please celebrate with us again. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised. My name is Kate. If you ask for me when you make your reservation, I will take care of you personally." Resist the urge to be snarky, judgmental, or to correct your customers. Yes, some customers are wrong—however, pointing that out will not help. Lots of people are going to be watching how you respond to others. Take advantage of the opportunity to be polite, helpful and solution-focused. People who rely on the reviews can often tell when other customers are being difficult. If you are gracious in your dealings with them, you will win in the long run. Step Nine: Ask your happy customers to post reviews. Over time, your average will improve. Obviously this approach only works if you are indeed making changes and removing the causes of bad evaluations. If you are not, prepare for more of the same reviews you've gotten in the past because they're coming. You simply cannot turn off the social media tap. Step Ten: As tempting as it may be, do not post fake reviews or go to a service to get others to do the same. Apart from the fact that it's dishonest, it's also dangerous. If you get caught, you will look even worse than you did before. Instead, get busy writing more content to post on your site, press release sites, and other appropriate places. The more that's out there, the less visible a bad comments be. Followed closely, this 10-step plan for a reputation overhaul could earn you five stars. What do you think? ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kate Zabriskie is the president of Business Training Works, Inc., a Maryland-based talent development firm. She and her team help businesses establish customer service strategies and train their people to live up to what's promised. For more information, visit www.businesstrainingworks.com. The Paralegal Training Program will prepare you for success in this growing career fi eld. You'll learn about the American legal system, how to conduct legal research and legal interviews, how to perform legal analyses, and more. Your training will prepare you to become a fi rst rate paralegal. Only $294/mo. PROFESSIONAL PARALEGAL ACADEMY Classes start very soon and seating is extremely limited. Please Call Today. This is a 'Premier Program' Change your life in only 11 Months! Monday/Wednesday nights & most Saturday mornings. CLASSES BEGINNING IN OCTOBER CALL TODAY 310-434-3410 REGISTER ONLINE 24/7 legalfi eldcareers.com You can NOW transfer credits towards an Associate's or Bachelor's Degree at selected colleges PARALEGAL TRAINING STUDIES SHOW THAT WITH THIS TYPE OF PROGRAM STUDENTS WILL EARN MORE THAN COLLEGE GRADS!