Turning Negatives Into Positives

Metallica is in the news again, this time apologizing for taking down reviews of its work by fans on its website.

Interestingly, Metallica apparently was taking down even "mostly positive reviews," which seems rather silly and, unfortunately, par for the course for this now doddering, once-admired power trio. But the fact remains that most companies and business executives, like Metallica, react unfavorably to reviews, especially ones critical of their own products or services.

We have never felt that way about critical reviews at NewsGator, and according to a post from Joshua Porter at bokardo.com, you probably shouldn't either. Negative reviews don't have to be downers.

Porter explains that many websites won't add reviews because "allowing the public to criticize products on their site would have several negative effects," including loss of sales. But, Porter adds, most negative reviews are genuine and helpful, and they create the opportunity to use them as input. He says that for many companies, "this is a tough pill to swallow, as it's not easy to admit shortcomings."

For those of us who have gotten used to eating crow (like this ex-journalist), that is hardly news. And as Porter points out, by paying heed to complaints and criticism and acting upon them, you'll likely wind up with reviews that are positive.

So the next time you read a tweet that says something like, "NewsGator's API sucks," don't panic. Read the post and act accordingly. It's the positive thing to do.