DEFEATING THE KEYBOARD WARRIORS

We live in a world where brave men and women routinely step into the breach on our behalf.

Regrettably, these “warriors” are mostly armed with a keyboard, and the bullets fired are generally aimed at hardworking and conscientious businesses.

These “brave” people view their actions as a reasonable negotiating ploy. And understandably, in many instances, as companies would rather avoid any kind of bad publicity, they may seek to settle when they could continue to defend their position.

However, one-star reviews do not have to be the end of the argument. You do have rights with the online platforms, and you can seize the initiative back.

Here are a few tips/golden rules to follow:

1. ACT QUICKLY

The sooner you react to the review, the sooner it can be removed, and the sooner the customer’s complaint can be resolved. And, potentially, a happy customer is more likely to reverse a 1-star review to a 5-star review.

2. REPORT MULTIPLE REVIEWS ABOUT THE SAME PURCHASE

If multiple reviews seem to be from the same purchase, then report them. Most online platforms’ rules include that only the purchaser can submit a review, not their family and pets too.

3. DO NOT GET INTO AN ONLINE “TIT FOR TAT” ARGUMENT WITH THE CUSTOMER

Most online reviews are submitted and read by adults. And, as adults, they can differentiate between somebody with a genuine issue and somebody being malicious. They can see when a review needs to be read with “a pinch of salt”. If you reply negatively to a poor review, it looks unprofessional and any sympathy you may have had from others, including potential customers, instantly dissolves. Be the bigger person online.

7. CONTACT THE WEBSITE AND REQUEST THE REVIEW IS REMOVED

The website team will need to be satisfied the review is false, vindictive, etc., or falls foul of their terms and conditions. However, not every bad review is completely false, and if the website team can justify their position, then it is unlikely the comments will be removed, and it will be left for the general public to draw their own conclusions. If the review is left online, then tip number 4, above, is important.

4.

Write A Reasonable And Detailed Response As A Reply To The Review

You should deal with the situation as it is and offer a solution if there is one. Set out your side of the story in a reasonable manner, so the customer is either in no doubt that you are in the right, or if you are not, you have been trying to resolve things from the off. How someone sees you dealing with a complaint can certainly sway them as potential customers.

5. 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 an online forum.

6. COMPROMISE

If you can reach a compromise with the customer, ask them to remove the review as part of the settlement.

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

Conversely, there is some good news for companies faced with a keyboard warrior. In 2021, a defamation case resulted in the Claimant, a firm of solicitors, being awarded £25,000 for defamation. It is worth setting out that the Defendant called the firm “scam solicitors”, and the solicitors were able to show the court a downturn in enquiries following the review. Also, the Defendant was a litigant in person and did not turn up to the court hearing.

This type of case is unusual, and although not the norm, it is possible to pursue a defamation claim and be successful. However, the cost of doing so can be expensive, and should only be undertaken by legal services who are experts in this area.