3 Steps for Handling Complaints & Negative Reviews Online
Social Media is an incredible tool for many businesses. It is a great way to connect with your customers, target audience, and potential clients in somewhat of an informal setting. Unfortunately, it also provides opportunity for those who find themselves dissatisfied with your product or service, a place to vent. Specifically on sites like Google, Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp.
While it’s wonderful to receive positive reviews, many times negative posts tend to outshine and ultimately weigh heavily on your new & impressionable, visitors.
Seeing as there’s no way to prevent negative reviews, we’ve come up with three easy steps to help your business to handle them.
1) Do not delete the comment. Many times, your instinct will tell you to delete – but that often causes more harm than good. Ignoring & banishing the complaints of your customers will only aggravate them further. To be sure that their voice is heard, they may enlist friends and family members to spam your social accounts with negative comments as well, thus creating a much larger problem than initially intended.
2) Respond, but choose your words wisely. You’ve made the smart decision to keep the comment public, now it’s time to respond…and fast. Take the time reply to the individual(s) as promptly as possible. Your response should first and foremost always be professional. Do not get defensive or aggressive with your words. It is appropriate to apologize for whatever may be angering this customer; be sure to let them know that you sympathize and understand their frustration.
3) Fix it. The last step in this process is to make an effort to rectify the situation to the best of your ability. Sometimes people simply want to speak to someone – put them in touch. If they want a refund or replacement – do your best to adhere to that request. If all else fails, offer a discount, coupon, free additional service, etc. We may not always be able to make everything 100% better, but giving it your best effort will hopefully leave the customer with a less bitter taste in their mouth, and prevent them from further posting negative comments about your company on the internet.
The best part about social media is that it allows people to interact directly with brands and companies – use this opportunity to your advantage. Do your best to converse with those who are singing your praises, as well as those who are doing just the opposite. Either way, your attention will be appreciated.
Kate Sirignano, founder of Image Marketing Consultants, invites you to complimentary consultation on your marketing, public relations, partnership, special events, and social media needs kate@imagemarketingconsultants.com, 203-404-4868.