In this article, we will give you some tips to help you learn how to do it correctly.
Dealing with negative comments on social media is a common practice these days, as consumers become more demanding and it is more difficult to meet their expectations 100%.
Keep in mind that social media is a bridge that connects brands with consumers, so it is a safe space where they will go to make their complaints and therefore, an important letter of introduction for your company.
Leaving comments on social media or references on search engines is a way for consumers to get your attention and do something to change their experiences as customers.
With inbound marketing and other business philosophies that encourage companies to justify the quality of their products and services to consumers with valuable content, success stories, and growth statistics, it shouldn't surprise you to find consumers expressing their discontent without having such information.
On the contrary, you should consider their comments as the impetus for a new process of reflection, analysis and monitoring of the processes that are being carried out in your company, to evaluate which actions are being executed poorly or, failing that, which should be changed so as not to make the same mistake again.
Hubspot research reveals that 79% of consumers trust more in the comments they see on a website or social network about a product or service and 77% of them check the comments of a product or service before making a purchase.
The good news is that in most cases, a negative customer experience could be turned into a positive milestone if the complaint is handled and resolved properly.
That's why we'll give you some tips below to deal with negative comments or criticism on social media without publicly damaging your reputation or that of the client:
Tips for handling negative comments on social media
1. Respond in a personalized way
No matter what negative comment or criticism you have received on social media , always respond by addressing the person by their name and mentioning the account in the comment.
You can start your response with: “Hi Jhon! Thank you very much for your observation” and at the end, mention the user.
This shows that while your company may have been uninterested in meeting their needs at one point, at least you are doing so now.
The person will be able to take your response more easily and appreciate the gesture, which makes them feel seen and taken into account. Let that person know that their comment, although negative, is important for the growth of your company.
2. Be smart with the emotions you convey
When responding to negative comments or criticism on social media , first think about what emotions you want to convey and evaluate which ones are best for you to express.
It's normal to be bothered by negative opinions from others, especially if they tend to be offensive. However, the important thing is to stay calm and be emotionally intelligent by not allowing those angry feelings to take over you and cause you to make mistakes that you will not be able to take back later.
Never offend a customer, even if he has done so in his comment. Using verbal taiwan cp number violence will not help solve the problem.
On the contrary, it may be a point on which other customers can rely to stop purchasing your products and/or services.
The truth is, no one wants to buy from a company that publicly humiliates and abuses its followers or customers.
3. Hold your entire team accountable
For example, if it was your community manager's mistake to make a spelling mistake in a post, apologize on behalf of the entire team and don't make public the name or position of the person who made the mistake.
When you have a company that supports a group of people, you have to be responsible to them and not expose their mistakes.
If you do this, your company will end up being an organization that discredits the work of its employees and depending on how serious the error was, these are circumstances that can be resolved privately if the person responsible is assertively informed.
4. Reward those affected
If your company has made a serious mistake with one of your clients and they express it on your social networks, making a negative comment or criticism on your social networks , use it as an opportunity to apologize to that person by giving them a promotion or discount on their next purchase.
This is a responsible and pleasant way for the person to apologize. This way, the customer feels that there was a reward after all and that their opinion was heard.
Your other followers can see those actions and recognize that you are trying to be responsible despite making a mistake.
5. Don't delete anything
It is assumed that the easiest way out will be to delete the negative comment on your social networks, since this allows you to minimize damage to your reputation and having to publicly confront that opinion.
However, if it is a demanding consumer whose complaint is considered quite important, your action may end up being somewhat offensive to him. So much so that he may comment on your posts again and in this case, with two different annoyances.
Making your customers invisible will not help at all, nor will it improve your situation. Try to see negative comments or criticism on social media as an opportunity to correct a bad practice, strategy or habit that is being used incorrectly.
Be aware of your mistakes and make the most of them. A smart move is to overcome obstacles and see lessons in each one. That's why we hope that our tips on how to handle negative comments on social media have been of great help to you.