Your online reputation is arguably one of the biggest assets in your dental marketing arsenal. Now more than ever, it is easy for customers and potential patients to learn who you are, what your dental practice stands for, and how people have experienced your practice.
Reputation management is one of the most common things we see dental practices seeking help with. This is because very unhappy patients tend to leave reviews more than those who have had an “ok” experience. These negative reviews far outweigh any positive reviews you have.
More often than not, we see either very happy or very unhappy patients writing reviews. Reputation management aims to respond to all reviews with integrity, compassion, and transparency. A crucial part of your dental marketing strategy should be reputation management, so you push the bad reviews down, filter the best reviews of your business, and choose what your clients see. Check our dental marketing program.
Who needs reputation management?
Reputation management isn’t something that only certain dental practices need. Every dentist should have a reputation management team on their side. The public perception of your practice is a fragile thing, one that can easily be destroyed with just a single bad review. This is also very important if you are a dental specialist like an Endodontist or an Orthodontist. In that case, not only patients need to trust you, but also your referral doctors.
One of the wisest dental marketing ideas out is the implementation of a comprehensive reputation management program that responds to both positive and negative reviews.
Can I get reviews removed?
No. Companies like Google and Facebook make it nearly impossible to remove reviews because they seek to maintain trust and transparency with those who come to them for reviews.
The good news is that if your reviews are on the second page of Google, they pretty much don’t exist. This is why reputation management is so important – it seeks to push down negative reviews and display positive reviews.
Learn more about how you can remove a bad review.
How long does reputation management take?
Like search engine optimization, reputation management is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a task that requires constant vigilance. It’s impossible to say how long reputation management will take, however, the more negative reviews you have spread out online the longer it will take to get those under control.
This is because each dental website, from Google to Facebook, is indexed differently in Google. This means that you need a strategy for each domain.
How do I rebuild my online reputation?
Because rebuilding your online reputation takes a lot of time, it’s best not to let your reputation get out of control in the first place. This is only possible through regular staff training on customer service, setting strict guidelines for serving and interacting with patients and developing guidelines to respond to patients’ complaints.
Responding to Bad Reviews
Inevitably, even the best dental practice will get a bad review. It’s how you respond to these reviews that make a difference. After all, people want to see that humans are behind a practice, not just mindless robots.
Respond
Take the time to respond to all reviews. You want to respond promptly, but not so quickly that you didn’t take the time to think through your answer. If a patient responds that they had a bad experience, take a second to look them up in your system. Understand what they were in for and offer a solution that makes sense to them.
Oftentimes dental practices may feel like they’re being asked for too much. However, it’s important that you weigh the value of pleasing a patient compared to the reviews they could post.
Be Empathetic
Put yourself in the shoes of the frustrated patient. How would you feel if your perception was what they were experiencing? Maybe their tooth still hurts. Maybe they are really sad that they need a new dental implant after waiting for months. Remember that for patients, perception is reality. By remaining empathetic to your patients’ situations will help you respond to their needs in an appropriate manner.
Thank Your Customer
Yes, even those who have posted bad reviews. Thank them for the honest feedback and the opportunity to make the situation right for them. By remaining humble and open, you show customers that you are doing your best to serve them.
Be Precise
Don’t play the whole he said, she said game. Be clear and to the point. Get to the heart of the issue. Understand the fact, understand the chief complaint, and address those in the most professional and caring manner possible.
Your final response to a complaint should be clear, concise, honest, and own up to any problems on your end. Reassure the customer that you’re doing your best to fix the situation and that you will improve. And then be sure to improve and follow up on your word. If you do come up with a solution to fix the situation, be sure to come back and update your response.
Fix the Situation
If you get a negative review, it’s important that you take the necessary steps to remedy the situation. Offer a fix by responding through the review portal. And make sure the language you use is sincere, and the offer is something you can follow up on and that the customer would appreciate.
Once the situation has been fixed, tactfully ask the reviewer if they would be willing to modify their review. This empowers them to decide and allows you to plant the seed in their mind that tells them they can actually make this choice.
Force Them to Remove Reviews
While online reviews are notoriously hard to remove, it is possible If the review was posted by someone who isn’t a patient or if the review violates a company’s terms of use. For example, pretending to be someone you’re not clearly violates Google’s terms of use. However, proving this can take months, and it ultimately is up to the website to honor your removal request and any evidence presented.
Removing reviews takes time and patience but is well worth the effort in the long run. Remember, however, that forcing people to remove reviews is only possible in rare circumstances. A well-executed reputation management plan is the best way to preserve your practice’s online reputation and make the most of the internet’s ability to promote your business.
