Handling Negative Online Reviews for Painting Projects

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Negative online review is a sensitive issue for any company. Reviews can switch the mood of any potential client like a pendulum. Nowadays, people actually trust online reviews like a personal recommendation. If left unchecked, negative reviews can pull down the graph of your company’s success.

While there are numerous articles online about dealing with negative online feedback in general, this post focuses on how to take care of negative reviews done towards the commercial painting industry. Taking into account the common mistakes painting companies make, we’ll try to prepare a guide for the companies as well as the clients on how to handle these situations more diplomatically, especially in Australia.

Common Negative Reviews on Painting Services

Homeowners often don’t have a positive image of the painters. There are numerous negative reviews about painters and commercial painting services online.

Here’s a list of negative reviews seen commonly against a painting company –

Their first estimation often differs a lot from the final amount they charge
Often, there’s a long waiting time before a company can start the job
When someone is expecting an estimation of cost, the painting company doesn’t call back
Painting Companies fail to meet the standards they promise
They fail to finish the job on time

Some of the complaints against the painting companies are quite extreme, such as –

They take the money customers deposit and either flee or forget about it completely.
They don’t even refrain from sabotaging properly functioning parts to charge excessively.

Probable Reasons Behind Negative Reviews

What is initiating all these bad reviews? Though some are exaggerated, most negative reviews have solid reasons behind them.

A prevalent reason behind this is unskilled and unprofessional workers. Jobless, amateur, inexpert people often take up painting jobs and consider this job “anyone can do”. It might look easy, but it’s not. All complaints like low standards, missing deadlines, etc., are linked to this.

Due to the nature of the painting projects, a small deviation from the first estimation is not uncommon. Additionally, the experienced painters know their job well and are quite busy. So, a delay in getting their slot is not unusual. However, the availability of low-class service providers makes it harder to distinguish between expert and novice painters.

How to React from An Owner Point of View

Now, sad as it may sound, you can not dream of a flawless rating of your services. There might be thousands of people using your service; it’s just not practical to think that you can please everyone.

Moreover, bullies on the internet post negative reviews for no apparent reason. It may be one of your competitors who is low on ethics, or maybe a disgruntled employee giving feedback anonymously. Whatever the source is, negative reviews need special attention.

Here are some key points you should keep in mind while handling negative reviews

Focus on the legitimate concerns; don’t let an online bully get the best of you.
Be diplomatic; never get personal. Remember, professionalism and politeness is the key here.
Apologize when needed, but be sure not to take responsibilities that you have no control over.
Never be rude to the negative reviewers. Thank them and let them know your mindset. Nobody is perfect, and there is always a chance for improvement.
Be laconic in reply but focus on the point; ensure the reviewer gets the answer quickly.
Keep yourself calm. Losing your temper while dealing with a customer is a great mistake.
Take your time and be consistent in replying. If your customer discovers that you do care for them, you’ll be in more trouble.
Most importantly, don’t forget to take action. Checking and responding to reviews is one thing; adjusting your business and customer experience is what counts. If you notice a similar pattern in the complaints, be sure to check on that and fine-tune your services.
Lastly, if it becomes evident that you’re fighting a bully, simply give up. There are certain battles that you don’t need to win.

What are The Responsibilities of A Customer

Now, if you’re a customer yourself, you might get confused by the many reviews on different painting companies. Do your research, get ideas about several providers, and decide which suits you best.

Here are some things you should consider before hiring a painting contractor –

Firstly, you should check if they have insurance for your property and the workers. Usually, all professional painting service providers have insurance policies.
Check their credibility. As a service provider, they should have completed many contracts previously, so ask for examples of completed tasks.
Contractors not respecting their schedules is a widespread complaint against them. Make sure the contractor you hire is free from this. Because if your contractor can’t match the deadline, you’re the ultimate sufferer.
Make sure you get a proper idea about their crews. If the crews that are going to enter your residence, full-time employees? Or are they just subcontractors? Does the service provider company perform any background checks on their appointed personnel?
Be very clear about your goals. It’s better to find out earlier than later that the painters can’t meet your expectations. Also, get a clear idea about the materials they will use for their work.
Do their employees get any training? Does the service provider hold a membership in any local chamber of commerce or trade organization? Be sure to check these out.
Get a good idea about their warranty policy. How is it funded? What does it cover? Ask questions.
Lastly, don’t get lured by the unbelievable offers. Because when someone is providing something with less money, they have to compromise a thing or two. You might never know what they compromised and how it might affect you in the long run. So, it’s always better to make more than one bid, get an idea about the expenses, and then hire a contractor.

To wrap up, there are and always will be negative reviews; admitting this would be a good idea. As a service provider, you should address those queries professionally and carefully. On the other hand, as a customer, you should do ample research before hiring a commercial painting company. This reduces the possibility of your loss and results in fewer negative reviews online.

By Emma Sneddon
– a freelance writer, and an independent blogger. She mostly writes about sustainable and alternative living solutions. Emma likes to write in the most effective ways to drive new sales and revenue for local business.

Member since November, 2023
View all the articles of Emma Sneddon.