The way businesses communicate with their potential clients is drastically different now that social media is widely used. Having a conversation with customers shows how attentive a company is to their needs. And the marketing department may get valuable information about how customers feel about their experiences.
Prepare a strategy for handling bad feedback on social media.
The most effective reactions to comments made on social media are planned well in advance of when the comment is actually made. Whether it’s claims of unhelpful staff or problems with a product, you should be prepared to respond to criticism in a variety of ways. Identify who needs to write the answer and who needs to follow up on the issue.
Keep an eye out for negative comments about your business on social media as well. Not every criticism will be put in plain sight, as on your Facebook wall; you can miss a tweet of criticism unless you keep an eye out for it. This is crucial since it’s impossible to address criticisms you’re unaware of.
Do not give in to the temptation of erasing
It’s tempting to just erase a negative remark on Facebook, but doing so might cause more improve your business than the comment itself. Many of your followers, as well as the original commenter, will see that you deleted the remark and may conclude that you have something to conceal. A negative remark should only be removed if it constitutes an actual threat to public safety.
Quickly, yet carefully, respond
Customers who believe their voices aren’t being heard at your company are a common source of complaints on social media. You may help dispel that image by addressing critiques swiftly. By doing so, you can prevent the debate from escalating out of hand.
Nonetheless, be considerate in your replies. Think like a consumer for a moment. Customer complaints still stand even if the triggering event was beyond your control, such as when your supplier was late with their order. If you admit it, you’ll have a lot of better chance soothing their ire.
Respond without letting your feelings show.
If you disagree with a customer’s appraisal of the issue and see their unfavourable comment on social media, it might be difficult not to take it personally. Therefore, when responding, try to keep your emotions under check. An furious or, even worse, obscenity-filled reaction won’t make the hater appear terrible, but it will hurt your brand’s image.
Accept responsibility when it is due
Sometimes the critiques you receive on social media will be justified, despite your best attempts to counter them. After all, no company run by flawed humans can ever hope to achieve perfection. Expressing “sorry” in such situations isn’t a show of weakness or a bad reflection on your business. Most customers, on the other hand, respect businesses that are willing to shoulder some of the blame.
Of course, it’s important to accept blame, propose a workable remedy, and deliver as promised.
As quickly as possible, let’s move this topic offline.
While it’s good for your company’s reputation if potential consumers see that you can handle criticism in a fair and calm manner, you probably don’t want to prolong the dialogue in a public forum any further than is necessary.
If you can, try to take your conversations with the critic’s existing or future consumer offline as quickly as feasible. Send them a private message using the social media platform’s messaging system, or respond to their remark and offer to have a customer care agent follow up with them by phone or email. The aim is to cool things down and get the exchange out of the public view.
Recognize and manage the effects of online harassment
Of course, there may be occasions when the complaints levied against your company are unwarranted. Trolls that want only to disrupt online communities thrive in the anonymity of social media. Your best approach if you suspect a critical poster is a troll is to ignore them, since engaging with customer will simply encourage them to continue their trolling behaviour. Say anything to refute their allegations once, and then say nothing else.