As a professional coach, no matter how hard you work or how many people’s lives you help change for the better, there is bound to be someone with a negative view of your efforts. Reading a poor review online—or hearing anything other than positive feedback about your services—not only feels terrible, it can also make you worry about how the fallout might impact your business.
Before getting overwhelmed by thoughts about the potential damage it could do to your reputation, remember that there are ways to mitigate the possible consequences of a bad review. Here, 15 members of Forbes Coaches Council discuss some best first steps to take to reduce the impact of dissatisfied customers’ reviews on your business.
Forbes Coaches Council members share ways to mitigate the potential damage a poor client review could do to a coach's reputation and bottom line.
Photos courtesy of the individual members.1. Lean Into Understanding Their Perspective
I would get curious about the feedback and lean into understanding the other person’s perspective. Was there something that wasn’t up to par in terms of service? Was there an expectation not met? Was there something that I didn’t deliver on? Once I looked at all of those aspects, I would reach out to the client to repair and rebuild trust in the relationship. - Sohee Jun, S.J. Consulting, LLC
2. Reach Out To Dive Into Specifics
In the event I received a poor review, the first step I would take is to reach out to the individual who provided that feedback and dive into specifics. In a case such as this, a lack of clarity in communication is more than likely the culprit of any misunderstanding. During the follow-up, it would be important for me, as the coach, to remove any bias and emotion and be open to an honest discussion. - Dr. Mike Smith, John Mattone Global
3. Address Concerns And Offer Free Sessions
I have not gotten a poor review so far. However, I would approach the client first and address their concerns if it were to happen. If it would help, I would also offer some free sessions beyond the contracted engagement and remind them of the expectations we set for each other when we contracted for the engagement at the start. - Sandeep Jain, Value-Unlocked Private Limited
4. Seek To Listen And Understand First
An apology goes a long way when dealing with conflict resolution. Engage the person, identify what hasn’t happened for them, ask them how they felt when you behaved that way and identify how they would rather feel. As a result, ask them what (if anything) they would like to be done. Often, your worst critics can become your biggest advocates. - Hannah Roberts, Breakthrough
5. Respond Directly And Honestly To Bad Reviews
Negative reviews are inevitable, but I’ve never had any significant damage from them. In fact, the No. 1 thing that has helped me recover from bad reviews is to be active in my community. I always engage with people who have posted negative reviews. Being transparent about your mistakes is important, so consider responding directly and honestly if someone posts a negative review about you. - Willena Faison, Career Boss Academy
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6. Accept All Reviews And Respond With Your Own Views
I do accept all reviews, whether good or poor. It comes from expectations and perceptions. I prefer to acknowledge all reviews and courageously respond with my views and feedback instead of running away from or disregarding any review. Whatever the review, feedback is a gift; we have something to learn from it. Damage will happen when I defend or don’t respond or try to prove myself. - Anilkumar G, ACTIONRICH Business Solutions India Pvt Ltd
7. Confer With Reputation Management And PR Teams
Confer with your reputation management and public relations teams immediately to ensure they are aware of and resolving the matter. If appropriate, a time will be arranged for you to meet with the person. - Natasha Charles, Intuitive Coaching with Natasha Charles
8. Discuss The Matter And Explain Misunderstandings
Successful coaches do not avoid unpleasant criticism but anticipate and wait for it. If the negative evaluation is justified, I would view it as an opportunity to improve. If it would unfairly harm my reputation, I would discuss the matter and explain any misunderstandings. If I am sincere and transparent, my favorable evaluations will certainly outweigh the bad ones. - Nabil Bouassaba, Ai 4 Ei
9. Reach Out To Explore The Basis Of Their Opinions
I would immediately reach out to the client, if possible, and explore the basis of their opinion. Assuming that I can understand the basis of their review, I would invite the client to explore and co-create ways I could be of better service. Then, I would offer to provide them with a complementary session to implement the solutions we created together. Hopefully, they would write a glowing review. - Lisa Walsh, Beacon Executive Coaching
10. Take A Breath And Strategize Before Responding
The most important step is to take a breath and strategize before responding. After you’ve had time to think, reread the feedback to better understand the root cause for dissatisfaction and contact the individual to mitigate their concern and mend their trust. Publicly respond to the review—tactfully, factually and empathetically—and (hopefully) mention the solution. - Alana Henry, The Writique, LLC
11. Address The Issue At Hand In A Fair Manner
Transparency is key because we are all humans and none of us knows it all. It is important to answer quickly and sincerely. Don’t see it as a personal attack but instead address the issue at hand in a fair manner. This will calm nerves and open the door for positive feedback. Don’t forget to say thank you for the engagement with your brand. - Oluwashogo Oyeniyi, Dr Shogo Consulting
12. Ask For An Opportunity To Overdeliver To Them
Have a deep conversation with the client. Ask for an opportunity to overdeliver to them. This is the chance to turn an unhappy client into a loyal one. The real issue is that they have been disappointed, want to be heard and want their problem fixed. Run customer experience campaigns and be consistent about creating the best customer journey to prevent this from happening again. - Nida Leardprasopsuk, Nidaleard
13. Have Highly Satisfied Clients Post Their Experiences
Some combination of the following recipe is necessary to avoid negative momentum. Parts of the recipe get muted or magnified based on whether it was word-of-mouth or an online review. First, apologize for their experience; ask them for an opportunity to fix the disconnect; immediately flood them with powerfully positive referrals; and finally, have your highly satisfied clients start posting their positive experiences. - Todd Zaugg, Matrix Achievement Group
14. Avoid Defensiveness And Address It Offline
While it is possible to satisfy some people some of the time, it may not be possible to satisfy all the people all the time! Internalizing this requires humility and is integral to being a good coach. Avoid defensiveness when negatively critiqued. Ensure the grievance is constructively addressed offline. A credible reputation and reference base built over an indisputable length of time will help mitigate any real damage. - Sadhana Somasekhar, Platinum Infosystems Pvt. Ltd.
15. Have A Proactive Strategy For Positive Reviews
The best offense is a strong defense. People don’t expect business to be perfect. The key is to manage your overall star rating. Have a proactive strategy for positive reviews. Build it into your process and regularly collect reviews. A negative review matters much less when you have hundreds of positive reviews. - Krista Neher, Boot Camp Digital
