“Pathing” in customer surveys has been characterized as unethical, because it’s sometimes used to selectively capture positive feedback but not negative or neutral input. We agree — that’s unethical. But there is an ethical pathing practice that promotes review integrity: asking unsatisfied customers to provide direct feedback about trouble spots.

Rather than try to put a positive spin on review responses, accept both the positive and negative feedback from all customers. Negative feedback can provide valuable insight into how you can improve operations and service, and ultimately, deliver a better customer experience.

Another great practice: Once you’ve collected customer feedback via a survey, point those who’ve responded to Google and other review sites to share their experience. It’s likely they’ll say something positive — after all, you took the time to investigate their issue and demonstrated your commitment to customer care. You may end up with both higher ratings and happier customers — without ever having introduced bias.

For more information on how to request reviews the right way, read this blog post.