Responding to Course Reviews (Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Providers®)
Once you confirm someone as a participant in your course, they may choose to rate your course, as well as to leave a comment. You then have the option of responding to any comments you receive.
You may choose to allow all comments - both positive and less positive - to be publicly visible on your YACEP profile, or you may choose to allow no comments to be publicly visible. In either case, the overall participant ratings of your courses will be visible on your YACEP profile (if the profile is published).
Here are a couple of ways you can help everyone get the most out of the review process:
- Publicly share your reviews – both the positive and less positive ones.
- Sharing your reviews will help potential other participants discern if your courses are right for them, and both types of reviews contribute to this decision-making process – as does how you have chosen to respond.
- Taking part in allowing public reviews of your courses is brave, and not always easy, but openness and transparency provides benefits to both YACEPs and participants, and to the overall quality of continuing education.
- Respond to your reviews.
- Taking part in Social Credentialing is a two-way street and your responses can further assist potential students in determining whether they think your training will be the right fit for them. There is power in conversation.
- You can only respond once to any given comment, so please re-read your response carefully before posting, and to take your time in determining how you wish to respond.
Remember that the vast majority of comments are positive and encouraging; sometimes surprisingly so. However, if you find yourself dwelling on critical comments, or are unsure in the moment how to respond, here are a few things to consider in responding to comments:
- Acknowledge the review. Make sure your participant feels that their voice is being heard. Thank the participant for offering their comments.
- Keep your response brief, polite and graceful. Remember that your comment reflects upon both you and the continuing education you offer.
- Give a response when you feel inspired and ready to do so. Respond to criticism (if it comes up) with gratitude for their time and words and let them know they are heard.
- Send thanks to those with positive reviews.
- Provide a brief response without argument and thank them for helping you grow and learn. When we acknowledge each other, we create community and understanding.
- Remember: one person’s thoughts and words are not those of the entire world.
- Take your time when responding. How you handle participant reviews could potentially affect your business. Give yourself time to absorb and consider the evaluation carefully before posting a comment.
- Try to avoid posting an emotional comment or making accusations which may escalate the situation. Simple, courteous fact-based responses may help defuse emotion.
- Let it go. Practice ahimsa, with your reviewer and with yourself. Holding on to upset and anger is not good for anyone. Be kind to yourself, take the critique as it lies, and move forward.
- Take a deep breath and remember that everyone is entitled to their own opinions - it’s what makes us human. What type of response will leave you feeling peaceful?
- Offer a solution. Perhaps the participant was looking for a different type of education or course structure. Go ahead and share a brief response and be sure to acknowledge where the reviewer is coming from. This is not the place to argue. Provide some information that can help bring resolution. They feel how they feel. What can you learn from the situation?
Read more or watch our online workshop to learn more about Social Credentialing.