4 Ways To Handle Negative Feedback Online

Social media for business is a great tool, for networking, showing off what’s happening day to day and of course giving your customers a place to communicate with you online. As all business owners know, no matter how hard you try, there is no top-secret to pleasing everyone.

When you’re dealing with customer’s day in day out- there is a chance you could unintentionally ruffle someone’s feathers, resulting in that customer taking to Facebook to express their emotional state! Not to worry, we have 4 simple and easy ways of handling negative feedback on social media so that you can bounce back and show off just how customer friendly you really are.

1. Do not react immediately

Reading a negative review or comment about your business can often make you feel angered. Depending on how well you cope with feedback, your first reaction may be to reply immediately, set the story strait and tell them they have it all wrong! Although at the time this might seem justified, It is important to give yourself enough time to calm down, read over the comment and plan your response before you action it.  This way you will reply when you are cool calm and collected and come across professional.

2. Always…(ALWAYS).. respond and acknowledge

This has to be the biggest mistake many businesses make online! Never leave a complaint  un-replied to! After the initial frustration has passed, you might think it’s easier to just ignore the comment or even delete it completely, however its vital to your brand image that you acknowledge and respond to all comments (both positive and negative) on your page. A complaint that is left  un-replied to, will more than likely result in that customer feeling as though they have been disregarded  or over looked, which could then lead to a lasting negative impression.

Dealing with the issue at hand, avoids things snowballing and shows you value your customers opinions and feedback and are willing to take it on-board.

3. Offer a clear aplology

As the saying goes, “The customer is always right.” Business is about building relationships, positive WOM and positioning your brand as a market leader within its industry. That’s why when a customer has something negative to say about your brand it’s vital to offer an apology regardless of the situation. Upholding a positive brand image is imperative to the success and growth of your brand. Whether it be “we are sorry you feel this way” or “I am sorry that you had this experience at our store” – there must always be a clear apology. Following this up with a positive statement is always a good way to lighten the conversation, move forward and show that you are going to actively resolve the problem.

4. Aim to take the conversation to a private place

Depending on the nature of the complaint, you may need to ask the customer if they could send you an email or a private message to discuss the issues further. Most of the time a complaint can be resolved by simply acknowledging the customers point of view, offering an apology and highlighting how you plan to fix the situation. However, if you are faced with a situation  where a person continues to carry the conversation further, we suggest you then take the conversation to a private place. The last thing you want is for the conversation to get out of hand and be on display for everyone to sit back and read.  Offer them the option to email, private message or call to discuss the matter further. This way you have eliminated any further conversation on your page and have also shown that you are willing to hear more from the customer.

Rock social have a team of experienced professionals working to ensure that all you social media matters are dealt with and responded to correctly. If you are interested in hearing more about what we can do to help your business, contact our team today. They are overwhelmingly satisfied in the articblog areas described below 93