While brand-bashing is nothing new, the internet and social media platforms make critiques from diverse people with different opinions.
And because social networks like Yelp and Twitter make it easy for people to set up fake profiles, the obscurity that people can achieve on the internet makes it more comforting to lose all sense of morality, consideration, and good manners.
Negative comments come in many forms, such as:
- Trolling: Trolls are the bane of social media, especially on Facebook and Twitter. These people (or robots?) want engagement and cause problems for you. Their outrageous comments are often untrue and intend to get others riled up. Unfortunately, they aren’t actual patrons with legitimate complaints but are annoying.
- Malicious comments: These comments contain profanity and offensive language. Malicious comments intend to inflict emotional distress on your brand.
- Threatening comments are typically violent — physically, emotionally, or otherwise.
- Actual customer complaints: These are the most typical negative and critical comments. These comments are from consumers that have issues using your product or service.
So what’s the best way to deal with the negative comments?
Respond to comments immediately
Do not delay. Don’t let negative comments remain. Address negative statements as quickly as possible to prevent them from building up into something more damaging. Responding promptly will show the skeptic you’re listening and their opinion matters. It will also alert others of your commitment to your brand.
Be Apologetic
If someone whines about your product or services, apologize. It doesn’t matter if their complaint is merited. It doesn’t look pretty to get in a public cage match over just one complaint, and others will appreciate you for apologizing. If the person you’re dealing with complains about something ridiculous, you will have the upper hand.
If things blow up, discuss the matter privately
Respond publicly first, then take it privately. If someone is being harsh, take your contact with them to a private channel. This way, you give them the engagement they’re contending for without creating your interaction public for all to see. Act cautiously and never be uncivilized, no matter how difficult the situation is.
Appreciate their feedback
Treat criticisms as constructive feedback. Following free speech, most people want to be heard, mainly on social media. They want to know they’ve been heard. So after you’ve apologized for their unsatisfactory experience, let them know their feedback is appreciated and that you’ll seriously consider their suggestions for improvement.
Offer your help
If the commentary is blatantly offensive and lacks context, apologize and ask how you can help make the situation better. Then, two things will happen: They’ll reply with something you can instantly deal with, or they’ll be so taken aback that you respond and have nothing more to say. Either way, you’ll have replied tactfully.
Choose your battles
Some accounts are bots and might have been used to destroy your brand. Some of them are just attention-seekers and want to stir up controversy. Does this person have a following? Are other people reacting to what they’re saying? Observing what they say is critical, but it might not always be worth engaging with them.
Don’t delete all negative comments
There are some times when it’s OK to delete negative comments. For example, if they use offensive language or comment off-point, there’s no danger in deleting the comments. You can report some of these accounts if they are; however, deleting their comments is a huge mistake if they have genuine complaints. Those with legitimate complaints can be outraged by your censoring, while current and potential patrons are also observing. If you delete their comments, it’ll look like you’re hiding something unsuitable for your brand.
A snarky comeback can be satisfying, but it might also hurt your brand, so be cautious and take extra care when dealing with negative comments. Report comments when needed and always keep level-headed. Kindness is a great way to keep your customers coming back and your naysayers annoyed. Take it one day at a time, and if you need help with your branding and social media, you can always send me a message.
