How to address negative mobile app feedback

People across the world are actively using tablets and smartphones. Mobile applications are projected to produce over USD 935 billion in income in 2023. As mobile application usage grows in popularity, the no. of applications downloaded globally also rises.

The average smartphone holder uses ten applications every day and 30 applications every month. The Apple App Store alone has 1.96 million applications accessible for download.

Mobile application users today have higher expectations; even a slight issue can result in negative ratings and reviews. Hence, before you can get persons to download applications, businesses need to take the extra time to conduct the proper research.  Well, application reviews directly affect app revenue. Surprisingly, approximately 57% (on iOS AppStore) and 44% (on Google Play) of all available applications still have no ratings.  With good application reviews, prospects arise. The overall application rating will influence customers to download your application.

Conversely, receiving negative feedback about your mobile application can be disheartening, but it is also an excellent opportunity for improvement. You need a robust solution to smartly address negative feedback and confirm the success of your mobile application’s success. That is where mobile device testing labs, like LambdaTest, came to the rescue. This article will explore how to fix and address negative mobile app feedback using a mobile device testing lab.

The Impact of Negative Feedback on Your Mobile Application

Negative feedback and reviews can directly affect your mobile application’s reputation, user retention, and revenue. When customers encounter issues, such as slow performance, crashes, or accessibility issues, they are quick to express their frustration through application store reviews and social media. Such negative reviews can deter potential consumers from downloading your application, resulting in low revenue and a stained brand image.

The negative application reviews can mainly act as your assistant in wiping out the concern areas. You can even stumble into an enhancement that may give your app a new facet to explore and progress. So, you can utilize a negative review positively with the correct response strategy.

Why is it Significant to address Negative Application feedback?

Addressing negative application feedback is significant for multiple reasons:

1. User Satisfaction: When customers encounter issues or have a bad experience with your application, addressing such concerns validates that you care about their satisfaction. It can turn a disappointed customer into a loyal and happy customer.
2. Customer Retention: Unresolved negative feedback can result in consumers abandoning your application and seeking alternatives. By addressing problems promptly, you can retain extra users and lessen churn.
3. App Store Ratings and Reviews: User ratings and reviews considerably influence an application’s visibility and download rate on application stores. Negative reviews can lower your total rating and deter esteemed client users. Addressing them can result in better ratings and a positive impression.
4. Feedback as Better Opportunities: Negative feedback often highlights areas where your application can be improved or errors need fixing. Fixing such issues can enhance your app’s performance, functionality, and usability.
5. Customer Trust and Loyalty: Responsiveness to customer reviews and feedback builds loyalty and trust. Customers are more likely to stick with a mobile application they believe is actively working to meet their requirements and address issues.
6. Competitive Benefit: In a crowded mobile application market, responsiveness to feedback can set your application apart in the race. Users are expected to select an application that smartly listens and replies to their requirements.
7. Affirmative Word of Mouth: When customers notice that you address negative responses, they might share their positive feedback with others. Word of mouth can be a strong tool for appealing to new users.
8. Business Brand Image: How you manage negative feedback reveals your brand’s image. Being polite, professional, and effective in addressing concerns can improve your brand’s reputation.
9. User Engagement: Engaging with customers through feedback channels can improve loyalty and user engagement. Users who feel positive and heard are expected to participate in beta testing, give valuable suggestions, and promote your app.
10. Security and Legal Concerns: Some negative responses might point to severe matters like legal compliance or security vulnerability glitches. Solving such issues isn’t just beneficial for your application’s reputation but is also required to avoid potential security and legal threats.

Best Techniques to Deal with Negative Feedback

The ability to deal with negative feedback gracefully is crucial for personal and professional development. Adopting a positive perspective and embracing constructive criticism can transform challenges into chances for growth and perseverance.

• Don’t interpret it as a personal attack

Very often, your foremost reaction after you read the negative review is to get furious and feel like it is a personal attack. Give it a break and think about it for a second. Maybe that customer is correct, and your mobile application caused him traumatic moments, or he just had a bad day, and your application has nothing to do with his issues. Either way, you must manage your control and discover the actual issue.

• Acknowledge feedback or criticism

The prime step to address negative mobile application feedback is to accept it. Deleting or ignoring negative reviews can make your customers feel angry, unheard, or distrustful. Instead, reply to adverse reactions professionally, promptly, and actively. Thank them for their comment, apologize for any problem, and demonstrate that you care about their experience. t can assist you in building loyalty, trust, and rapport with your users.

• Agree That There Is An Issue

If a person has negative feelings about your mobile application, it is significant that you acknowledge this properly. One positive way to deal with negative feedback is to acknowledge the validity of the customer’s struggles or problems.

• Identify the issue

The subsequent step is to detect the issue behind the negative feedback. Sometimes, the issue is specific and clear, such as a crash, a bug, or a missing trait. Other times, the problem is vague or subjective, such as a confusing interface, a poor design, or a low-value proposition. To detect the concern, you need to analyze the pointer, ask clarifying queries, and use metrics and data to support your findings. This can assist you in knowing the root cause, the effect, and the issue’s priority.

• Compensate Worse Experience

Sometimes, it isn’t enough to indicate to users that you feel sorry for the problems generated by your application. You will prove your opinion if you give them virtual goods or other advantages linked to your application to improve their views on your work. Again, you will demonstrate to them that you did not intend to cause them bad moments.

• Redirect to a Private Channel.

After the launch, each application has its issues. Small or big, they are inevitable as it is impossible to please everyone. However, those wrong impressions should be shared outside the application store. Ensure that you make it clear to all consumers that you can be reached through other channels, such as a support section or e–mail inside your application. If some users are willing to leave negative feedback on the app, be polite, complete the subsequent steps, and try to improve the app’s quality and performance.

• Keep Calm And Pay Zero Attention To The Trolls

As we all know, there are a few cases when the review isn’t even about your mobile application. It is not worth paying attention to this kind of person. Just ignore and keep calm and make it clear that you won’t fall into their trap to harm your reputation.

• Communicate the Effective Solution

The next step is communicating an intelligent solution to the negative feedback. Once you have detected the problem, you need to inform your consumers how you plan to fix it. You can provide timelines, updates, and expectations through your website, application, email, or social media. You can also use common feedback platforms to track, collect, and reply to feedback in one place.

• Execute the solution

The following step is to implement the solution and resolve the feedback. Depending on the problem, the solution might include addressing an error, redesigning a screen, adding a feature, or changing a strategy. You must follow the best app development, testing, and delivery practices to execute the solution. You also have to evaluate your mobile application’s usability, performance, and satisfaction of your mobile application after the solution is implemented. This can help ensure the solution is operational, practical, and satisfying for the end users.

• Engage The End Users

The negative feedback from a user can be turned into your reward by building a superior product. When users tell you they require fresh features in your mobile application, engage them to determine which traits can add extra value to your app. If the users complain about errors or flaws, keep the most pressing problems they indicate at the top of your priority when you roll out the next update. You can also use incentives, such as rewards, discounts, or referrals, to encourage them to spread the word about the application. It can assist you in increasing your revenue, referrals, and reputation.

• Consider it as Your Learning Experience.

Know what your users are trying to tell you, and make out ways to use it to improve your application, bettering its functionality and making it into a better application. If folks are seeking new traits, work on it; if there is a log of errors being reported, straighten that out for them.

Steps to Address Negative Feedback with LambdaTest

Mobile device testing labs, such as LambdaTest, LambdaTest is an AI-powered test orchestration and execution platform that lets you run manual and automated tests at scale with over 3000+ real devices, browsers, and OS combinations. This platform gives a  comprehensive solution for fixing and preventing negative responses. Such labs offer a suite for real-time mobile devices, various OS, and assistive technologies. Let’s glance at how mobile device testing labs can assist:

1. Detect Particular Issues: Analyze customer response or feedback to pinpoint their particular issues.
2. Replicate on Real-time Devices: Utilize LambdaTest to replicate these flaws on actual devices, confirming they aren’t isolated incidents.
3. Root Cause Scrutiny: Find the root causes of the issues and work on resolutions.
4. Compatibility Testing: Ensure your application is compatible with multiple platforms to reduce platform-centric issues.
5. Performance Testing: Testing your application’s performance and responsiveness on diverse devices to prevent slow performance and crashes.
6. Regression Testing: Frequently conducting regression tests catches and fixes new issues early.
7. Accessibility Testing: Address accessibility problems to enhance usability.
8. Customer Feedback Loop: Manage a feedback loop with customers to inform them about problem resolutions and perfections.

Conclusion

Addressing negative app reviews and feedback is vital for managing a positive reputation and customer satisfaction. Mobile device testing labs such as LambdaTest empower you to detect, replicate, and fix issues effectively. By constantly testing your application on real-time devices, you can avoid negative feedback and ensure your application remains a top choice amongst customers. Embrace the power of mobile device testing labs to offer a smooth experience and boost your application’s success.