Online reviews are essential for the growth of your dental practice. However, without adequate staffing or resources, it can be challenging to respond to every comment on your Google profile. Creating a review response template can save you time during outreach.
Tools like our Swell Integration can streamline your reputation management strategy. This digital solution allows you to personalize and deploy responses corresponding to the feedback your practice receives.
Crafting a well-written review response template is an excellent way to show your patients that you value their feedback. Learn how to write a professional response without stress.
Why Should Your Dental Practice Respond to Online Reviews?
Most dental patients expect their doctors to respond to online reviews within a couple of days. Taking the time to share testimonials and respond to reviews can improve your dental practice’s reputation and encourage long-term leads.
You can also improve your SEO standing with Google by keeping up with commenters. Even replying to negative feedback can yield benefits. For example, you may be able to convince former patients to return to your practice by offering service or procedure updates in the response.
Review sites like Yelp and Facebook are popular among those seeking dental services. Responding to reviews on these high-traffic channels could put a friendly face to your business. It may also boost your practice’s online visibility to potential patients.
How Should You Build Your Review Response Template?
Understand that your practice may need to create several review response templates for the best results. Creating one response for every review may come off as insincere to users.
For instance, suppose that you receive positive feedback from one user and negative feedback from another. Using the response, "Thank you! We are happy you took the time to give us your feedback" for both reviews may not be appropriate.
It’s also important to understand that not every comment you receive may be real. In fact, many businesses struggle with fake reviews1. If you suspect that your dental practice received a fake review, report it to Google and avoid interaction.
How Can You Respond to Good Reviews?
Suppose you received a five-star review from a patient praising your dentists for their excellent communication skills and flexible scheduling. It’s important to thank them for their response and reinforce their positive experience with a promise. Here is an example of a great response:
Hi [Insert Username],
We are happy to hear that your experience with us was satisfactory. We strive to provide the best experience for all our patients and will continue to meet your expectations during every visit.
This response is short and to the point.
You can use the same response for generally favorable reviews as well. For example, suppose someone left a three-star review on your website commending your front desk staff for their friendliness. However, they were disappointed about their wait time.
Consider using the same template above but personalizing your response to address their concerns. For example:
Hi [Insert Username],
Thank you for your feedback. We take your concerns seriously and strive to provide the best experience for all our patients. Our team will use this feedback to better meet your expectations in the future.
What Should You Say if Your Dental Practice Receives a Bad Review?
You may receive a negative review for several reasons, despite providing your best service. Don’t worry; you can use these reviews to your advantage by responding professionally and offering solutions.
Ask yourself how you would respond to the following review:
I would not recommend this dentist to anyone. They are slow, and my gums hurt after my examination.
It may be tempting to defend your dentists when you receive comments like this. Take a breath and reply with a cool head. Try this approach when crafting review response templates for negative feedback:
[Insert Username],
We apologize for any poor experience you had with our team. We work tirelessly to ensure that our dental practice provides ethical, communicative, and safe treatments for all our patients. Please call us at [PHONE NUMBER] to discuss any concerns you may have.
Notice how this response did not criticize the patient for leaving a negative review or dismiss their claim.
Manage Your Responses with Digital Solutions
Nobody wants to receive bad customer reviews. However, it’s vital to have a professional response ready. At Dental Intelligence, we offer practice management products like 2-Way Communication and Online Reviews to help you keep up with feedback. Schedule a demo today to see how we can help you intelligently shape the future of your practice.
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