Online reviews hold significant sway over a business’s reputation. While positive reviews can boost a business, negative ones can have the opposite effect. Unfortunately, some individuals exploit this power by attempting to blackmail businesses into providing discounts, free services, or other perks in exchange for not leaving a bad review. This unethical practice, known as review blackmail, is a serious issue that can harm a business if not handled correctly. The following information explores strategies to protect a business from review blackmail and maintain a hard-earned reputation, based on established business guidelines.
Recognising Review Blackmail
Review blackmail typically occurs when a guest threatens to leave a negative review unless their demands are met. These demands can range from a refund or discount to a free meal or service. It is important to recognise this behaviour early, as complying with such demands can set a dangerous precedent and encourage more of the same.
Steps to Handle Review Blackmail
Stay Calm and Professional
When faced with a blackmail attempt, it is crucial to remain calm and composed. This allows for a measured response to comments and reviews. On some platforms, managing a profile includes being able to appeal negative reviews.
Communicate Directly
Telling the customer how to contact you is an important step. Responding online is important, but it can feel impersonal for the customer. When a business talks to a customer one on one, the customer knows that the business genuinely listened to their concerns. This also gives the business a chance to reach a resolution that satisfies both the business and the customer.
Understand Platform Policies
Businesses can remove or prohibit reviews that are considered abusive, vulgar, or threatening. The Consumer Reviews Fairness Act (CRFA) protects a customer’s right to leave honest reviews but does not protect reviews that could be genuinely harmful. For example, it does not permit reviews that reveal sensitive information about a business or its employees, nor does it permit inappropriate language like racial epithets.
Document Everything
If you believe you are being blackmailed, report the incident to the platform immediately. Provide the platform with the documentation you have gathered, and they may be able to prevent the review from being posted or remove it if it has already been published.
Do Not Give In
It might be tempting to comply with the blackmailer’s demands to avoid a negative review, but doing so can encourage further blackmail attempts. Stand firm in the decision to not reward unethical behaviour. Politely but firmly explain that you cannot provide special treatment in exchange for reviews.
Respond Appropriately if the Review is Posted
If the individual follows through and posts a negative review, respond professionally and address their concerns without acknowledging the blackmail attempt. This shows other potential guests that you take feedback seriously, even if the review was left under dubious circumstances. Keep the response factual, polite, and focused on resolving the issue at hand.
Preventative Measures
Set Clear Policies
Establish clear policies for handling complaints and disputes, and communicate these to your guests. When guests know there is a formal process for resolving issues, they may be less likely to resort to blackmail.
Encourage Authentic Reviews
Cultivate a culture of authentic, positive reviews by consistently providing excellent service. Encourage satisfied guests to leave reviews, which can help drown out the impact of any negative ones that do appear.
Train Your Staff
Make sure your team is trained on how to handle difficult situations with guests, including potential blackmail attempts. Encourage them to respond calmly and professionally, and ensure they know the procedures for documenting and reporting such incidents.
Legal and Ethical Considerations
Some businesses have attempted to use non-disparagement clauses to prevent negative reviews. In one example, a vacation rental company mandated in its contract that any vacationer who posted a review giving the property less than a “5 star or absolute best rating” immediately owed the company at least £20,000. The company was forced to answer to regulatory authorities for threatening customers with fines.
This illegal practice is deceptive on its own since it bars customers from providing their honest opinions. Equally deceitful is that many businesses hide non-disparagement clauses where customers are unlikely to see them, buried in the fine print of a contract or on web pages that people rarely visit.
Because non-disparagement clauses are illegal, dishonest, and harmful to consumers, the practice is also directly opposed to the Better Business Bureau’s Standards for Trust. That means Accredited Businesses found prohibiting honest reviews could be at risk for losing their accreditation. Similarly, non-accredited businesses could be disqualified from consideration for accreditation.
Managing the Impact of Negative Reviews
Encourage Recent Reviews
Customers place emphasis on recent reviews, meaning bad reviews will become less important as time passes. According to a BrightLocal survey, more than 80 percent of people thought reviews over three months were irrelevant. Time is even more of the essence with younger people. About 60 percent of 18 to 34-year-olds only consider reviews written in the past two weeks. Ensuring reviews are recent by encouraging clients to leave reviews can mitigate the impact of older negative feedback.
Utilise Business Bureaus
Businesses can encourage customers to leave reviews on BBB.org. At the Better Business Bureau (BBB), customers can post feedback about marketplace experiences with businesses, brands, and charities. Just like complaints, reviews are vetted by BBB team members and sent to the business before they are published online.
Moving Forward
Review blackmail is a challenging issue, but by staying calm, documenting everything, and refusing to give in to unethical demands, a business can protect its reputation. Remember, platforms are on your side in these situations, and there are steps you can take to prevent and mitigate the impact of blackmail attempts. By setting clear policies, training staff, and encouraging authentic reviews, businesses can foster a trustworthy environment that discourages blackmail and builds a positive online presence.
Conclusion
Review blackmail is an unethical practice where individuals threaten to leave negative reviews unless their demands for discounts, free services, or other perks are met. Handling such situations requires a calm, professional approach, including direct communication, understanding platform policies, and thorough documentation. It is critical not to comply with blackmail demands to avoid setting a precedent. If a negative review is posted, responding professionally without acknowledging the blackmail is essential. Preventative measures, such as establishing clear policies, encouraging authentic reviews, and training staff, can help deter such behaviour. Additionally, businesses must be aware that using non-disparagement clauses to prohibit honest reviews is illegal and harmful, and can lead to loss of accreditation and trust. By focusing on recent reviews and utilising platforms like the Better Business Bureau, businesses can manage their online reputation effectively and ethically.