How to handle negative feedback about your products or services

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning”- Bill Gates

You’ve launched a new product/service, wishing it would be your most extraordinary milestone ever. After spending tons of time, money, and energy on your dream service or product, it definitely has to reach the pinnacle. It might even be the MVP.

But then all you got was peanut feedback. The feedback is full of criticisms and complaints!

It feels like all the effort and hard work you put in was to finally speak to an empty room.

But we would say that’s how businesses work. It’s all about the journey. It’s about experimenting with the customer’s needs and wants and finally manifesting an idea that truly resonates with the customer’s needs.

What if your heart is heavy carrying this negative feedback?

If you’re in such a stage, this article is for you! And here is a 5-step process to handle negative feedback about your product or services.

Don’t react; respond!

Criticisms are inevitable. You just can’t stop them. Because everyone has a different perspective. And now that you’ve heard a complaint about your product/ service acknowledge them. Reacting to any negative comment will only destroy the brand’s reputation. Be calm and try to respond either positively or diplomatically. Remember, any situation is powerless without your reaction.

Accept, move on, and improve!

Brave are those who move on. Wise are those who grow from their mistakes. If the criticisms come from a vast number of people than you imagined, there must be some mistake that you’re making with the product. Your only job is to accept the mistake, move on and detach from the negative feedback, learn from the mistake, and provide a better service for the audience that resonates.

Ask questions

The next thing to do is ask your customers questions (even if it means asking stupid questions). Ask them what made them comment negatively and what improvement they wish to see in the product. 95% of people will genuinely try to answer this question if they aren’t fake. Knowing the market needs and matching the product benefits with the customers asking questions genuinely helps.

Put yourself in the shoes of the customer

This step is the most important thing you should do when you have the product idea in mind. And if you skipped this process, it’s time now. Put yourself in their shoes, and think of yourself as a customer. What would be your subtlest and most prominent need the product should possess? Incorporate that idea into your product and business.

Don’t take it personally!

And finally, never take negative comments personally. One bad comment doesn’t define who you are! Your business is still safe. It just takes one positive comment to bring everything back. Give it time, and don’t be hard on yourself. Be grateful for the lessons you have learned. The future holds so much magic which is yet to be discovered.

Handling criticisms and failure is an art and requires incredible patience. Learning to respond to complaints is the key. Hope this article was helpful to you!