It may seem scary at first to open your practice to client feedback, and there are indeed some risks that come with it.

For one, the feedback can feel personal. Mulling over negative comments can become a time suck, so it’s important to realize that client feedback will help your business grow.

You also need the right infrastructure in place to respond to client feedback. Before opening the floodgates, make sure you’re equipped to handle this level of client interaction. If you respond slowly to feedback or not at all, that could negatively affect your business’s reputation just as much as poor client service.

Prepare yourself for client feedback by following these tips:

• Respond quickly: Set aside time to check comments once a day, whether that’s first thing in the morning or at the end of your workday. Set a goal to respond to comments within 24-48 hours.

• Set the right tone: Don’t meet rude with rude. If a client leaves an inappropriate or disrespectful comment, be gracious. Other clients will see how you interact, so it’s better to use a friendly tone.

• Prioritize comments: Negative comments probably deserve a more timely response. However, you should prioritize specific feedback over vague comments. For example, if a customer says she hates your voice mail, there’s not much you can do about this. However, if another customer says she had to wait an hour on hold when calling your office, you can respond right away, quickly apologize, ask for more details, and promise to correct the problem going forward.

• Show your appreciation: Don’t ignore positive comments. If a client has taken the time to leave praise, show them you appreciate it. That may also be a good time to ask for a testimonial or for a positive review for your website.

Client feedback can make your business better. Whether the comments are positive or negative, you should respond in a timely manner and make every effort to address the problem. Doing so will improve your business’s reputation and, more importantly, your client relationships.