There’s nothing that compares to that sick sinking feeling that we experience when we see a 1-star online review. These reviews are often filled with CAPS LOCK words and proclamations starting with “never” (e.g., “never going back…”, “never recommend…”, “never again…”). Many things shared in negative online reviews are exaggerated, over-emphasized, or just plain false, but that doesn’t make them any less upsetting. 

In addition to feelings of frustration, defensiveness, anger, and embarrassment, there is often a sense of dread over how to handle these reviews. And while it is tempting to want to delete the comment and move on, I urge you to consider these simple steps to help you and your team respond in a way that benefits everyone involved, thereby fostering the wellbeing of your team. 

Step One: Calm Yourself and Check Your Sources

The first step after coming across a negative online review is to take a deep breath and let the shock and emotional response pass. Step away from the computer to get some fresh air, take some deep breaths, and engage in self-care. Taking stock of your immediate needs (e.g., snack, hydrate) or thinking of something you are grateful for will change your energy and put you in the right headspace moving forward. You then want to gather as much information as you can from the review to determine who the client is so that you can read what is recorded in the medical record, speak to the team members involved, and record their perspectives aside from what is already documented. You might also ask someone outside of the practice to read the review and provide their unbiased perspective.

Step Two: Move the Conversation Offline 

Once you have completed the first step, which usually takes at least 12-24 hours, assuming you have identified the owner, attempt to contact them by phone. Having a verbal conversation is the best way to portray empathy and concern, and to have a discussion about how to rectify the situation. Before you call, have all of the necessary documentation in front of you, including the patient’s status so that you can offer condolences if necessary. Make sure that you are feeling calm and prepared to be as patient and compassionate as possible. Have each of the points raised in the negative review listed so that you are prepared to address them directly. Allow the client time to share their concerns and listen to respond with empathy rather than defensiveness. Ultimately, you want to come to a common understanding about the client’s experience and how you can help to make things right. 

Step Three: Respond Online

After speaking to the client or if you are unable to reach them, it is important to respond online. Remember that your response will also be seen by the practice’s present and potential clients, so it’s important to remain objective, compassionate, and professional at all times. If you have been able to speak to the client, you can simply state that you appreciated their time in speaking to you on the phone and that you welcome the opportunity for future discussion if needed. If you weren’t able to speak to the client, you must first acknowledge their dissatisfaction or upsetedness, to ensure that they feel seen and heard, and offer an apology. Then reiterate the practice’s concern for the client and their pet and offer a meeting with the practice manager or owner to discuss the situation. For example:

Mrs. Jones – Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns. We are so very sorry that you did not have a good experience with us. We never want our clients to feel the way you do and we welcome an opportunity to review [pet’s name]’s visit and medical records with you. We want to do everything we can to support you and prevent something like this from happening again, so we hope that you will be open to speaking with us.

You can end by providing a point of contact (e.g., the name of the practice manager) and inviting them to reach out by phone or email. And if you have tried to reach the owner, it is helpful to include that in the response as well. For example:

Marie, our practice manager, tried but was unable to reach you by phone. She is eager to connect with you and can be contacted at (555) 987-6543 or manager@animalhospital.com.

Step Four: Express Good Intentions and Practice Policies

If the review is specific in highlighting a particular deficiency such as a surprise bill or prolonged wait time, you can attempt to respond online up front. This can be done by summarizing your practice’s intentions and sharing what you will do differently based on the feedback. Remember that an apology will seem insincere if a willingness to change or accept responsibility is not acknowledged. For example:

We take pride in our client service and acknowledge that on busy days our phone wait times can be very long. We try to avoid keeping clients on hold for longer than 3 minutes and are currently investigating teletriage services and other ways to improve wait times.

Step Five: Inform Involved Team Members of the Situation

There’s nothing worse than a team member being named by a client who is unhappy, without being told what happened or included in the resolution. Remain transparent about what was said and let the team member know how the communication is being handled. Encourage team members to let management know if complaints continue or if legal action or medical license complaints are threatened. Discourage individual team members from engaging online with the reviewer, so that all communications can be managed centrally by the practice. Ensure that mental health resources are available for impacted team member(s) so that they can get the emotional support they need to cope with the situation. 

While it likely won’t feel like it at the time, handling negative online reviews with dignity and grace can actually strengthen the resilience of the veterinary team and demonstrate to current and future clients how compassionate and invested the practice truly is.