Online reviews have become a fact of life for multiple organisations, and hospitals are no exception. Positive reviews of medical providers and their facilities can improve the reputation of the hospital, while negative reviews can cause reputational damage that is not repaired easily. Dealing with negative reviews has become more important than ever, especially with the entire world going online, and approaching negative reviews the right way will prevent further damage to the company’s reputation. It will also ensure that your employees remain protected at all times.
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Connect With UsSo, here, in this blog, we will take you through the importance of ORM Services in India. We will also talk to you about the different ways in which you can address negative reviews and prevent reputational damage.
Why do hospitals need an online reputation management strategy?
As per reports, 72% of patients turn to online reviews before choosing a healthcare facility. So, effective hospital reputation management is no longer an option. It is extremely essential for attracting patients, fostering loyalty, and also creating an extremely strong brand image. However, here’s the big thing. The journey towards achieving a successful hospital reputation management strategy is fraught with a lot of challenges, ranging from feedback tracking to addressing the negative feedbacks. This is the reason why so many healthcare facilities opt for ORM Services for Hospitals so that their reputation remains intact.
A few ways to handle negative reviews
Here are a few of the ways in which you can handle negative reviews in the right way:
Do not give away private information
One of the biggest pitfalls in responding to online reviews is giving away private information and putting your faculty at risk of being charged with non-compliance. There are many examples where healthcare facilities responded to negative reviews aggressively and have described specific encounters and procedures with specific data and statistics. This may cause you to deal with compliance issues. So, restrict yourself from disclosing any information.
Always try to keep it simple
Now this is one of the primary things that you have to keep in mind while dealing with negative reviews. Do not try to get into too many complexities. Instead, respond with short answers that outline the facility’s protocol for similar conditions or situations. This will help you to deal with the situation in a smarter way. You can also avoid any kind of trouble in the future. You may also opt for ORM Services for Hospitals to deal with negative reviews.
Try to respond privately
A very good approach to deal with negative reviews is to reach out to the patient directly in private rather than responding in a public forum. This will give the person a chance to discuss the issue directly and at length while expressing your own understanding and sympathy. Being defensive is not going to help in the situation. Instead, try to be sympathetic towards the patient. This will further help them in building trust in your organisation. The damage done will also be minimal.
Apologies are important:
If an apology is needed, then try to apologize honestly and earnestly. Sometimes, you and the other hospital staff end up making mistakes. After all, we are all humans. If the patient’s complaint is a valid one, then a public apology can easily diffuse the situation. You can even explain to the patients how the problem can be remediated in the future so they do not have a similar experience the next time they visit your facility.
Allow other patients to come to your aid:
Sometimes, remaining silent can be a really good strategy. It can even allow for the very possibility that a satisfied patient will speak on your behalf. These reviews are the best defence on a public forum. They also have the power to limit the damage of the negative review. Instead, people will think even better of your organisation. You can also rely on ORM Services in India for addressing the concerns of the patients and guiding you in the right direction.
Learn from reviews
Sometimes, negative reviews offer valuable feedback for hospitals and faculties. Don’t let your emotional reaction get in the way of evaluating the review. Instead, try to understand what people actually have to say. Based on that, try to make improvements. This will help you to ensure that things are addressed properly. You will also not have to deal with any kind of problems.
Always acknowledge the negative feedback:
Even if you disagree with the negative feedback of the patient, acknowledge the same. Also, empathize with the patient’s experience. Avoid causing conflicts by using generic sentences. Instead, address the feedback with passion. This will ensure that the situation is dealt with properly. Nowadays, hospitals are also reaching out to an ORM company in India for prompt acknowledgement of their online feedback.
Be Proactive and Not Reactive
Never react too harshly or in an excited manner to any kind of positive or negative review. When it is a positive review, try to show gratitude by thanking them politely. When it comes to negative reviews, never react too rudely to any patient. Instead, ask what went wrong in their experience and try to resolve the problem as soon as possible.
And these are some of the ways in which you can handle negative reviews. You can also hire an ORM company in India for online reputation management. This will ensure that the negative reviews are dealt with in the best possible way. Your business success will also know no bounds.
