Ah, Facebook. A place where your grandma pretends like she knows how to use technology in the most adorable, innocent way; where your friends constantly tag you in strange, crude, but undeniably hilarious and relatable memes; and of course, where you can moan about your favorite (and least favorite) brands without even having to open your mouth.
Gone are the days when you had to pick up the phone and call your local Domino’s to give them an earful about how your pizza had onions on it when you specifically asked for no onions. Instead, you can simply pull up the Facebook or Twitter app on your phone and send them a message, post to their wall, or comment on a recent post. Complaining has truly never been easier.
Ok, so maybe I sound overly cynical but know that I’m not excluding myself from Facebook Whiners of America. As someone who has both been an unhappy customer and also works in social media management, I understand just how important it is for businesses to handle negative social media feedback the right way. Ever had a less-than-satisfied customer post to your business’s Facebook page or @mention you on Twitter? The way you respond may have more impact than you think. These are our tips for dealing with those riled up customers on social media:
Respond. Always.
The worst thing you can do when someone posts a complaint or otherwise nasty comment on your page is ignore them. If a dissatisfied customer physically walked into your business, would you ignore them then? Disregarding the comment altogether tells not only that person, but everyone else who sees the comment that you’re not paying attention or simply don’t care.
Keep your cool.
That saying “the customer is always right” is bologna. Sometimes the customer is unreasonable or just a straight-up jerk, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to treat them as such. As tempting as it may be, don’t get snarky in your response, and absolutely do not insult the commenter. By getting defensive or denying the customer’s comment, you’ll only upset them more, which helps nobody.
Apologize and offer a solution.
The best way to handle a negative social media comment is to first offer an apology and then provide the customer with a solution. Avoid the phrase “sorry you feel that way,” as it points blame to the customer and invalidates their opinion. Instead, address the issue and apologize for the bad experience or inconvenience. Most importantly, give them tools to improve the situation. Often, it’s as simple as a coupon, a link to an official website where they can submit feedback, or even a phone number so they can speak to you directly.
Thank them.
A simple, “Hi ____, thanks for your feedback” is a good way to establish a positive tone in your response. Acknowledge that the upset customer took the time to go to your page and make a comment, and show appreciation for the opportunity for you to improve.
Block or delete them.
As a disclaimer, this should almost never be your first response to a negative social media comment. However, there are some people who only make comments to be obnoxious or funny or just for the sake of making a comment (known as trolls, in internet language). If the commenter does not have a legitimate complaint or concern and is spamming your page with nonsense, go ahead and use the trusty block feature to ban them from making more comments in the future. Again, be absolutely sure you need to do this before you block anyone because they’ll likely tell other people and potentially hurt your reputation.
Dealing with upset customers is never easy, and it only becomes more complicated when you’re communicating from behind a keyboard. Know that most people who make a complaint just want to be acknowledged or receive an apology, and that’s the end of it. However, if you fail to resolve the issue, the customer is likely to share the bad experience and sway others away from your business in the future.
Don’t let social media become a hindrance to your business instead of an enhancement. For social media and reputation management services, contact us.
Transformation Marketing is a full-service marketing agency. Our team not only can help with social media marketing, but also web development, search engine optimization, graphic design, blog writing, programmatic advertising, and so much more. Visit our website or call 402-788-2896!