Dealing with negative online reviews

legal updates

You should deal with the situation as it is and, offer a solution if there is one.

Read our disclaimer keyboard_arrow_down

This website content is intended as a general guide to law as it applies to the motor trade. Lawgistics has taken every effort to ensure that the contents are as accurate and up to date as at the date of first publication.

The laws and opinions expressed within this website may be varied as the law develops. As such we cannot accept liability for or the consequence of, any change of law, or official guidelines since publication or any misuse of the information provided.

The opinions in this website are based upon the experience of the authors and it must be recognised that only the courts and recognised tribunals can interpret the law with authority.

Examples given within the website are based on the experience of the authors and centre upon issues that commonly give rise to disputes. Each situation in practice will be different and may comprise several points commented upon.

If you have any doubt about the correct legal position you should seek further legal advice from Lawgistics or a suitably qualified solicitor. We cannot accept liability for your failure to take professional advice where it should reasonably be sought by a prudent person.

All characters are fictitious and should not be taken as referring to any person living or dead.

Use of this website shall be considered acceptance of the terms of the disclaimer presented above.

Unfortunately, the world is full of keyboard warriors who think they can get their way by threatening and, on some occasions posting, reviews of your company.  They seem to think it is a reasonable negotiating position and regrettably, in many instances, it is easier to bow to the pressure and succumb to their narrative.

However, it does not have to end that way.  You do have rights with the online platform and you can seize the initiative back.

Here are a few tips/golden rules to follow:

  1. Act promptly. The more quickly you react to the review, the sooner it can be removed, the customer’s complaint can be resolved and, potentially, a happy customer will reverse a 1-star review to a 5-stars review.
  2. Do not hit back at the customer.  Most people read negative reviews and consider the reviewer is being malicious and the account needs to be read with a pinch of salt.  If you reply in kind, it looks unprofessional and any sympathy that you may have had from the reader instantly dissolves. Be the bigger person however much it sticks in your craw.
  3. Write a reasonable and detailed response to the review.  This is something Lawgistics are adept at and we urge you to contact us for assistance on a posting a courteous and comprehensive reply.  You should deal with the situation as it is and, offer a solution if there is one. If reasonable to do so, set out your side of the story and leave the readers in no doubt that you are in the right and, if you are not, you have been trying to resolve things from the off.
  4. Take it offline. Conduct your negotiations and discussions with the reviewer by telephone or email, not in a public forum.  Again, your reputation has more to lose in the glare of the online platform.
  5. If you can reach a compromise with the customer, ask them to remove the review as part of the settlement. 
  6. Contact the website and ask them to take down the review.  However, they will need to be satisfied that the review is false, vindictive etc, or falls foul of their terms. Not every bad review is entirely false and, if the reviewer or website provider can justify their position, it is unlikely to be removed and will be left for the public to draw their own conclusions.  If the review is left online, then it is important to take the action detailed in number 3 as soon as possible.

We are always here to help, as what begins as a negative review molehill can blow up into a legal mountain very quickly.

Conversely however, there is some good news for companies faced with a keyboard warrior.  A recent case that was heard for defamation resulted in the Claimant (a firm of solicitors) being awarded £25,000 for such false claims.  It is worth setting out that the Defendant called them “scam solicitors” but the Claimant was able to show the court a downturn in enquiries following the review, that the Defendant was a litigant in person and also did not turn up to the hearing. This type of case is certainly not the norm, but it is not impossible to pursue a claim for defamation and be successful.

Wearewood Services LtdMotor Trade Web Specialists

We offer an all-encompassing web, digital & design service specially tailored to the Motor Industry.

Darren FletcherLegal AdvisorRead More by this author

Related Legal Updates

A New Case – What Do We Need From You?

You might be thinking, “Why do my thoughts and comments matter?”

Maintaining professionalism in customer disputes

Your emails may be presented to a judge for review to help decide on how you have handled the matter before the court’s involvement.

Assist your consumer… before it’s too late

If a consumer is ignored or refused assistance by you, and a repair is carried out, you will no longer be able to inspect the failed component.

Car sold with a fault

Ensure the consumer is aware, understands, and most importantly, accepts the vehicle is subject to fault.

What you pay for is what you get

The consumer presented our member with the bill because they wrongly thought they had the right to do what they wanted.

Inspecting part-exchange vehicles

It is always a good idea to keep a paper trail for any transaction, especially in situations where representations are being made by a consumer.

Fake reviews differ from defamatory reviews

Tripadvisor’s latest transparency report identified and removed 1.3m fake reviews last year.

Get in touch

Complete the form to get in touch or via our details below:

Phone
01480 455500
Address

Vinpenta House
High Causeway
Whittlesey
Peterborough
PE7 1AE

By submitting this quote you agree to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy & Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.