The Good, The Bad...The Negative
Which word stands out the most to you?
Good. Great. Terrible. Nice.
Now relate it to businesses on social media, which customer review of the business are you going to remember the most, the comment about excellent service or the complaint about the bug in the soup?
Generally, the negative is the most prominent and what is most remembered, especially if it’s referring to a customer experience. This can hinder your business and reputation if not handled in the appropriate way.
The Internet acts as an open forum, so customer feedback, both positive and negative can be made public. All types of comments should be viewed as an opportunity to boost your image and reputation as not only a successful business but also one that pays great attention and care to its customers. When you are faced with an unhappy online fan, we recommend and practice this approach:
1. Don't Delete the Comment
You will most likely upset and/or lose the customer and you lose credibility as a business that responds to customer needs. Deleting comments limits the customer voice and you inhibit the advantage of an open forum discussion.
2. Respond Promptly
This is where daily maintenance of your page is very important. A negative comment that is not responded to within 24 hours gives the impression of page neglect and customers feel invalid and ignored.
3. Apologize
Your response should be personal to the upset customer but made publically so all your fans can see it. Start by apologizing and taking responsibility for the customer’s unsatisfactory visit. Keep it positive, short and simple, 140 characters max.
4. Move the conversation to a private platform
This makes the conversation more personal to the customer so you can find out the details and offer more support. Add your contact information or customer support line to gain further information.
There are instances where the unhappy customer can continue the negative conversation on a public forum. Don't retaliate and further the argument. In such a case you can use the advantage of your online community to deal with the situation.
Such feedback is how you learn and grow as a business; they should be viewed as an opportunity and a chance to further connect with your customers!
-Kendall