Before the internet really took over our lives, getting in touch with a business meant hauling out the Yellow Pages, tracking down the number, calling during operating hours, and hoping the person on the other end wasn't rude. Now it isn't unheard of to conduct business without ever hearing another person's voice. While this may be a bit more impersonal, it does make businesses easier to access on your time, and allows the business to respond in their own time as well. This can make problem solving more efficient, if the business is reliably checking its messages and reviews. The downside to making public complaints via a review site is that the business may not see it, choose to ignore it, or openly refute your complaint. This can devolve into a war for public opinion which you may not win, even if you're in the right. Still, many professional businesses opt to respond to customer problems promptly and politely, even if they're only giving you lip service.
The flip side of this coin is that customers sometimes leave disingenuous reviews either because they're angry at the business or they're hoping to receive some sort of compensation. This means that as consumers it is up to us to weigh the likelihood of a review, especially since anyone can write one. If a business has several four and five star reviews and one outlandish one star review claiming they were physically assaulted by the owner on premises, it would be fair to take that lone review with a grain of salt. Likewise, if a company has many negative reviews making similar complaints followed by several high reviews saying everyone else is lying, well, chances are someone at the company is flooding the review site. It is up to us as consumers whether or not to take a risk on a business.
I took a look on Yelp at two local businesses, both larger companies, one that I have favorable feelings towards and one that I avoid. I found that the reviews both positive and negative pretty much lined up with my own experiences at these businesses. The reviews I read for the Handel's Ice Cream location in San Marcos were an even combination of customers liking the ice cream but complaining about the price and the slower service. Reviews I explored for the San Marcos Lane Bryant clothing boutique also mirrored my own experiences. Many customers enjoyed the wider range of plus sized clothing the boutique offered compared to department stores, but complained about the quality of clothing for the price and the high-pressured salespeople.
The most helpful reviews for both locations were those who were detailed yet concise. You could tell that there were people who truly enjoy writing reviews, but perhaps have delusions of grandeur of becoming professional reviewers. I couldn't slog through a review that began with the poster harkening back to their summer childhood ice cream treats. The review above the novel was short, too the point, but still detailed enough to be trustworthy. They stated the pros, the ice cream was delicious and the service professional, and the cons, the price was high and the lines were slow. Ultimately in their opinion the experience was positive enough for a solid four star review.
Reading these reviews really made me examine how and when I leave a review for a business online. I realized that there are businesses that I love and have frequented for years, yet I've never thought of leaving them a review. I really don't go out of my way to leave negative reviews for a business either. I have to be emotionally fired up and even then the moment usually passes before I actually get to typing. The only times I can actively remember writing reviews were when I felt my basic rights were being violated--if a store or employee was sexist or homophobic or was actively spreading misinformation.
As the manager of a business, I have had to address many online reviews. Thankfully, most have been favorable and I respond by thanking the customer for their business. I have had to deal with some very nasty reviews and I admit it did take some restraint to remain professional. Those reviews were largely customers who had failed to get something for free by complaining and tried to drum up negative reviews until I appeased them. In these cases, I apologized for their poor experience, while also clearly outlining our company policies which they had ignored, thereby showing potential customers that the poor review was coming from a disingenuous place.
I really enjoyed the exercise of writing positive reviews, and I'm going to strive to make it more of a habit. I sent a review to my favorite indie bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy, and told a brief personal anecdote about their staff's helpfulness and knowledge of their product. I then wrote a glowing review for my longtime hairstylist at Dulcinea Salon, giving examples of all the diverse styles and colors she's put on my head over the years!
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