Called me and asked me to take down bad review

[TotalTired]

Just has a slightly intimidating call, disguised as finding out more facts, regarding a very honest review I wrote for my dentist which involved my kids. An incident happened yesterday and I wrote about it. I mentioned a lot of positives along with the incident.

practice manager just called me saying they will speak to the person. She then said will I please take it down as it doesn’t look good on the clinic. I told her it was 100% the truth and I stand by it. She said she wants me to take it down as it affects the surgery, I told her I will think about it.

aibu - take it down - yes
not being unreasonable don’t take down - no

I think you have an obligation to bring up a complaint with the business before posting a review online. If they don't take your complaint seriously then go ahead, but you should give them a chance. It sounds like you have used a public forum to vent and to try to damage their reputation. If you can't substantiate your claims then this is potentially defamatory.

You've previously addressed the issue, it's happened again. The manager acknowledged other people have complained. I wouldn't take the review down as the practice has clearly had the opportunity to address this issue yet the receptionist continues to be rude.

Sorry also meant to say I don't think you were under any obligation to raise a complaint first as you've already raised the issue before.

I think with your latest updates regarding the receptionist's behaviour towards your crying child you are not unreasonable to leave the bad review up.

If the clinic were that worried about their reputation then they should deal with said receptionist properly. Shouting at a child who is crying because they are so nervous is not on. It is unprofessional and also likely to be counterproductive.

Truthful reviews shouldn't be taken down regardless of how badly they reflect on the business. It's important to stick to facts and not make unsubstantiated claims.

I always keep in mind the client who had to pay £25000 to their solicitors in damages because he'd said Summerfield Browne were "another scam solicitor" on a TrustPilot review.

Absolutely leave it up! That's awful. If there are other reviews saying the same thing then the manager absolutely should have addressed the issue and hasn't. Her fault not yours.

I wonder if this is why we have poor customer service compared to other nations. Of course it's ok to mention someone shouting at your kid. No nervous patient should be shouted at. Whether 5 or 55.

I think your review intent is fine.

The way you've worded it is counterproductive.

When people use language such as "vile" it conjures an image of a certain type of person and the point can get lost.

Personally I'd take it down.

Then I'd re post some like

Visited the dentist on x date. My 5yo was crying as she's anxious if dentists.
Found reception staff counterproductive sue to their brash attitude towards my upset daughter.
However the dentists themselves are brilliant at reassuring anxious children.
Having spoken to the manager on x date it transpires they are aware of the receptionists less than productive attitude so here hoping it's dealt with as I note at hers reporting a similar experience.

There are some posters on here that don't seem to understand neurodiverse behaviours, or also the very understandable reaction of a five year old if they are really upset or scared.Their behaviour might include some of the elements people have described somewhat dismissively on here. I hope you would be more understanding and kinder in real life.

There is no obligation at all and the rest of your post is bollocks

I think you did the right thing and should let the office manager know it is the receptionist who is making the practice look bad, not your review.

absolutely leave it up.

The receptionist is the front of the company who many see first so sounds like they need to take up a better person for the role rather avoid the issue.

I won't vote without knowing what happened and what you said. I'd also want to know what you did to resolve the issue before you posted the public review

This, it's hard to agree/disagree with you unless we know exactly what happened.

I'd take it down. You got their attention, you know that and you do not want to have to beg around for a new dentist if they reserve the right to take you off their list!!

Update it to say that the company contacted you to get you to change it to a positive review, and they said the negative reviews they get are about their receptionist, and that you have removed your kids from their practice as a result of this, as well as the woman’s behaviour choices.

I agree. I think some of the language used is unnecessary eg. 'Vile' 'very aggressive'.

I would agree to re-word it so it's less emotive, but not take it down completely.

@SurfBox you can filter to only see OPs posts, if you don’t want to read the thread.

Receptionist was very aggressive to my already nervous 5 year old. She shouted at her when she was crying about going into the dentist

Did she actually 'shout' though? I worked in schools for a decade and can tell you this word is so overused by both adults and kids that it has lost all meaning. I even hear adults outside work say it when somebody politely tells them off/disagrees with them etc.

I broadly agree with this tbh.

Personally I would've contacted the practice first and given them a chance to address this appropriately with the receptionist and if I didn't feel it was dealt with satisfactorily I would've possibly gone online.

I don't think there's anything wrong with you going online first, it's just not how I would've done it.

I know a couple of dentists where family members work in reception. I wonder if this is the case. Even so this needs to be addressed

Even if the child was having a meltdown, the receptionist shouting at her to be quiet is not the right way to deal with it. That’s just as likely to upset other patients, especially child patients, as the meltdown itself.

We left our last practice for the same reason - the receptionist was married to the dentist and he wasn't about to be dismissed for his behaviour any time soon

I honestly think mn is a different reality, anytime I've gone to a dentist/doctor etc I've went in paid the cash, they did their job and there was little to 0 communication with the receptionists etc other than thank you.

No don't take it down, it's factual and correct. The practice manager is right, it does make the dentist seem unfriendly, however it was and it's their problem to deal with, not yours.

If it was an honest review and not malicious, then I would leave it up.

I had a 1 star review on my Google business by someone who had never even spoken to me or used me. Now that is infuriating!