Nobody likes negative criticism. In a perfect world, everyone would like us and everything would be hunky dory. But if you're a company, the reality is that negative opinions about you are inevitable. Social media puts these bad reviews on a world stage, and this can be scary to inexperienced marketing managers. The key is to have poise, and understand that strength often lies in resiliency.
Display your company's resilience and respond actively to criticism. Here are some keys to handling negative reviews on social media.
1) Be Prompt
Understand that an angry post on Facebook or Twitter could easily turn into a scathing blog post. Address the reviewer before the person has a chance to stew and write an even more detailed account for the world to see.
2) Always Respond
Leaving negative posts unanswered makes it seem like you're ignoring the issue to everybody. People need to see that you care about every customer, especially the ones who are unhappy with your product. Remember, you aren't done with the customer after the product has been purchased. That individual needs to be delighted!
3) Turn a Negative Nancy into a Positive Patty
Anyone holding enough negative emotion to write an angry post could easily have enough positive emotion to show their appreciation for your responsiveness. Make the story about going above and beyond to rectify a situation and making your customer happy.
4) Be Positive
Social media is your portal to real-time customer service, and it's always best to take the customer-is-always-right approach. Don't respond to negativity with negativity and end up like looking like this company.
5) Be Creative
Turn this into an opportunity to show a little brand personality. Perhaps send the person a little care package and a note saying "We're Sorry." Chances are the gesture will be received with pleasant surprise and may even be tweeted!
We want to hear your experience. How has your business responded to negative criticism on social media? Feel free to leave a comment in the space below.
