How to deal with negative reviews on social media
Receiving a negative review on social media is never something any brand looks forward to. However, they aren’t actually all bad… It may be a surprise to hear they can provide opportunities to show what a fabulous company you are in different ways! If dealt with effectively, bad reviews highlight your exceptional customer service and other positives about your brand in light of the negative feedback. Read on for how to turn a negative review into something positive for your business or listen to Episode 9 of our podcast, Revitalise & Grow, which is all about maximising your owned channels and social media.
Here are some top tips for dealing with negative social media reviews to make the best out of a bad situation:
First things first…
Assess the review. Only respond to genuine complaints, reviews or issues. In today’s society, the world of trolls sadly does exist. Responding to these comments will only add fuel to the fire so if you’re certain it isn’t a sincere complaint it’s often best to ignore them.
But, for dealing with genuine complaints and negative reviews?
- Acknowledge: publicly and quickly
Be authentic and sincere, this puts a voice to the brand, humanising it and making it more relatable to the customer. By actively replying to their post quickly, you are being responsive, showing you have taken the complaint seriously and are being proactive to resolve the issue. This will also be seen by others, drawing their attention to your good customer service.
- Reiterate their point
This shows the individual you have read and understood their point rather than just sending out an automated response which will portray a personal, caring side to the brand.
- Private resolution
It is good to acknowledge the complaint publicly, but resolution should be between the customer and your business. Provide a method of contact, or alternatively, DM them and highlight that you did so in your public response.
- Make it right
It is best to offer some sort of token of apology as well as resolving the issue, for example providing a discount code for a future purchase/visit etc. This will entice the customer to come back despite their previous negative experience. See it as offering an olive branch to rebuilding the customer/brand relationship!
For more advice and tips on maximising your owned channels and social media, listen to Episode 9 of our podcast, Revitalise & Grow.
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