Social media is a great way to interact with clients and establish a positive reputation online, but it can also become an outlet for unhappy clients to voice their frustration. Dealing with negative posts on social media can be very uncomfortable, but if you have a plan in place, the process of resolving them should be relatively painless. So, how should you proceed after receiving negative feedback on social media?
Start by carefully reading the message or comment in its entirety. Try to keep your emotions at bay and take a minute to really consider the message. Determine what the true issue is and how you may be able to fix it. Remember that in most situations, negative feedback comes from otherwise happy clients who want to voice their frustrations and be heard. Don’t ignore the issue or forget about it for a few days. You need to address the issue in a timely manner, but don’t be too hasty if you’re emotional.
Resist the urge to just delete the comment as this may give the impression that you don’t care about your clients or that you have something to hide. Only delete negative comments if they are inappropriate or derogatory. It’s important to be transparent with your followers on social media. Make it clear that you only wish to provide quality service and you will happily right any wrong. Not only will the unhappy client appreciate your concern, your other followers will appreciate that you genuinely care about your clients, too.
Publicly respond to the comment in a professional yet concerned manner. Thank the client for bringing the issue to your attention and ask the client to send you contact information in a private message so that you can work to solve the problem offline. When contacting the client offline, do not respond in a defensive manner. Listen to the client’s concerns and express regret that the client had a poor experience. Work with the client to find a solution and correct any mistake that may have been made by the company.
No matter how hard you work, negative feedback will no doubt rear its ugly head at one point or another. The important thing is how you choose to handle it. Respond to your clients and show them, and your audience, that you genuinely care about them. Don’t bother with insincere apologies; they won’t fool anyone. Instead, do what you can to solve the issue and keep your reputation positive.
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