Social Media Customer Service: Handling Negative Comments

You’ve seen the power of social media.

It connects your brand with consumers in an exceptionally personal and engaging way.

The fear of possible negative comments about a bad experience with a company is a daunting prospect. However, social customer service is more important than ever.

According to the Retail Consumer Report

68% of customers who posted a complaint or negative review on a social media site after a negative holiday shopping experience were contacted by the retailer.

32% posted a negative comment or review and were ignored.

BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENS NEXT…

Brands that responded to consumers were rewarded:

18% of previously unhappy consumers were turned into loyal customers

33% turned around and posted a positive review

34% deleted their own original negative review

THAT’S GREAT NEWS!

Unfortunately, consumers generally have low expectations that brands will respond to their negative posts.

Here are 2 big lessons from this research:

1. Paying attention to complaining customers on social media will make a huge di!erence in how they perceive your brand. Not only will they go from disgruntled customers to social advocates, they also have the power to influence other consumers to buy from you.

2. Ignoring these comments sends the message that your brand doesn’t care, and it confirms those negative opinions. They already do not expect you to respond to them and when they are ignored, the trust factor is destroyed completely.

In order to to provide your consumers with good social customer service…

1. MOVE FAST AND EVALUATE

In order to move quickly when evaluating a comment, you should know the di!erence between a sincere comment and a troll.

A troll is a kind of public spam. They use strong, emotive language designed to get you to react. This argument is not a constructive one and it’s better not to respond at all.

On the other hand, a sincere complaint is legitimate feedback. It’s a customer who has a frustration, has communicated that frustration, and wants the problem fixed. Responding in a satisfactory way to these posts can resolve the issue and help maintain valuable consumer relationships.

2. STAY ON YOUR OWN TURF

There’s no reason to go to someone else’s blog to defend yourself against a troll who has attacked your brand. If you really feel the need to respond, go on the attack by issuing a press release, writing a blog post, or even posting a YouTube video. But stay o! other websites when countering.

3. RALLY EXISTING FANS

You’ve built a business that is based on helping people and solving problems. The principle of reciprocity will kick in when a negative comment is posted on your website or social media community.

Many social media managers report that in thriving communities, when a negative customer says something out of line, existing fans of your brand will step up to call them out or highlight the positives. The old post is quickly drowned out.

4. BE SINCERE & TAKE OWNERSHIP

If a complaint is legitimate, don’t sweep the mistake under the rug. Instead, avoid a crisis by: •  Accessing the situation

•  Acknowledging the problem

•  Apologizing for the mistake

•  Assert your willingness to make things right

•  Act to rectify the damage you’ve caused

•  Abdicate – step aside and move on when the issue has passed

5. GIVE MORE INFO, REGAIN TRUST

Sometimes scripted responses like,

“We’re sorry you had a bad experience,”

don’t cut it. It can actually do more harm than good, especially when a situation calls for a more sincere, heartfelt response.

Being empathetic, giving your customers information about what went wrong, and telling them what you will do to solve the problem can go a long way in regaining trust and winning them back.

Chances are you will experience both negative and positive feedback in the lifetime of your brand. Expect it! No one brand is loved by absolutely everyone, but the benefits of participating in social media far outweigh the risks. Plan ahead, develop a practical approach, and set up policies to prepare for social media feedback.

Where can you find people with expertise in social media strategy?

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ParkerWhite crafts strategic marketing & branding to create meaningful connections between consumers &

brands for health, wellness & active lifestyle companies.

To learn more about ParkerWhite, visit www.parkerwhitecom