EP317 Mediating Online Reviews, with Cortney Ketchum of TheReviewMediator.com

We delved a bit last week into the social phenomenon known as social proof, which examines how consumers rely on others’ public opinion about a particular good or service before selecting the good or service. Nowhere is this better exemplified than in the “review industry” built up on the internet over the last few decades. Consumers now regularly get reviews on everything from cat food to dentists, from lawyers to gyms. Big tech like Google and Amazon are quickly accommodating reviewers on their platforms by both encouraging and facilitating review posts. And sites like TrustPilot and Yelp have built themselves specifically as review clearinghouses.

As businesses realize that online public reviews can hurt and help their businesses, negative reviews often become a source of deep conflict between businesses and the reviewers who write them. Enter Cortney Ketchum, founder of TheReviewMediator.com, who joined the LMIPodcast to discuss how her service offers a method for addressing review conflicts between businesses and their customers.

Cortney, a seasoned mediator based in Texas with roots in New Orleans, brings a wealth of experience from the corporate world, particularly in customer service and dispute resolution.

She explains how online reviews have become absolutely critical for businesses of all sizes worldwide because in today’s digital age, potential customers often turn to online reviews to make informed decisions. Cortney notes how online reviews have now replaced traditional word-of-mouth recommendations. With 85-95% of people checking reviews before making a decision, the stakes are high in this space.

We discussed the challenges businesses face with negative reviews, whether accurate, defaming, or misleading. Cortney highlighted her innovative online dispute resolution portal, using AI and human oversight to address review issues. She also emphasized her mediation services, facilitating communication between businesses and customers to resolve conflicts and potentially update reviews.

Some key takeaways from our talk include the importance of addressing customer feedback, the need for a neutral intermediary in disputes, and the increasing regulation of online reviews globally. Cortney’s approach is unique because it’s not just about managing reviews; it’s about resolving the underlying issues and building better relationships. You can learn more about Cortney and her work at TheReviewMediator.com and on LinkedIn.