If you just finished a web search for “how to manage law firm reviews,” you may be experiencing a hiccup related to a bad client or employee review. Perhaps you are just trying to prepare yourself for that inevitability down the road. If you want to know “how to manage law firm reviews,” you’re in luck.
Let’s face it, the occasional bad review is going to happen when you own any business, especially a law firm. Sometimes the review doesn’t even come from one of your clients. Sometimes, it comes from an angry former employee. Sometimes, the review was written by the well-meaning good pal of your local competition. Sometimes, the bad review is out of the blue and you simply can’t identify the source.
Online reviews can cause headaches, disappointment, and even hurt feelings. It doesn’t have to be this way. In this informal guide, Strategy Check: How to Manage Law Firm Reviews will explain how and why you can turn a negative review into an opportunity to show the internet – and most importantly your future clients – how awesome your law firm actually is.
Strategy Check: How to Manage Law Firm Reviews
Any negative online review your law firm (or any business for that matter) receives is an opportunity to display your company’s core values and character. You can flip the script on a negative reviewer easily if you follow some simple steps.
How to Manage Law Firm Reviews: Never Respond Impulsively
Let’s talk about the worst thing you can do if you notice an unfavorable review online about your law firm.
Responding impulsively to bad reviews is for the weak. Don’t do it.
Self-control is the best control in any situation, especially when dealing with unfavorable online reviews. Whether you know who left you a review and why or not, do not ever respond impulsively.
Of course, it’s hard to read a critical review of your business. You may feel like your reputation is at stake. As a lawyer, you may even want to sue the person for defamation of character. You may worry that you will lose your high rank in local Google searches or that people will skip over you because you’ve lost your perfect 5-star rating.
Know that an imperfect star score won’t make you lose your ranking in searches and know that people expect successful businesses to occasionally suffer a poor review. Having a less than perfect score can even help you feel more real. So, relax. Collect your composure and don’t respond to the review until you have.
How to Manage Law Firm Reviews: Flip the Script
Just because you put yourself in an online time out while you regain composure doesn’t mean you should forget about the negative review entirely either. Don’t ignore it. Instead, put your brilliant lawyer mind to work flipping this script. You’re a lawyer. You’re a clever, resourceful problem solver.
When you receive a poor online review, keep your response professional and demonstrate that you care. Try to use an authentic voice. Here’s an example:
“Thank you for leaving feedback so that we can address this issue. We strive to be an asset to our community, but your review indicates that we’ve let you down. We’d love to learn more about your experience and see if we can remedy it. You can contact me directly at bosslady@awesomelawfirm.com.”
Do You Need Help Learning How to Manage Law Firm Reviews
We have business management solutions for law firms. In addition to providing you with the tools, resources, and workforce you need to succeed, we can also help you learn how to successfully maneuver business issues like how to manage law firm reviews. Contact us today.
