Opportunities That Knock Your Company: How to Respond to Negative Feedback
We’ve all heard the story. It starts with a client being scared of negative feedback and ends with them avoiding all social media. But, what those fearful clients probably don’t realize is that negative comments happen whether their company is in the space or not. And, more importantly, when a company is aware of what’s going on in the social world, they can frequently turn those negative comments into positive opportunities.
Mashable recently posted the article “HOW TO: Deal with negative feedback in social media” to help marketers identify the different kinds of negative feedback they may get, know if they should respond to that feedback and understand how best to respond. Here’s what you should know:
| TYPE OF FEEDBACK |
HOW TO RESPOND |
| Straight problems – When someone posts about a problem, whether real or perceived, that they have with your product or service
|
If the problem was real, you should work to fix it and let your customers know you’re doing so. If it was perceived, you’ll want to thank the user for their feedback and maybe explain why your company did what it did – if you think that would help the situation.
If the problem is widespread, you may want to go for a more public response. If not, a private reply should do the trick. |
| Constructive criticism – When the customer is kind enough to offer advice on how you can improve your products or services
|
Sometimes you’ll want to implement the suggestions. Other times, you won’t. Either way, it reflects well on your brand when you thank the person for providing you with feedback. |
| Merited attack – When your company does something wrong in the consumers’ eyes and they’re not afraid to tell you; the attack may not be merited, but the issue is | Respond quickly and happily. Always thank the user for their feedback and be sure to tell them what your company is doing to resolve the issue or make up for it. |
| Trolling/spam – When someone posts an unmerited attack on your product or service to promote a competitor | Since this type of feedback isn’t really feedback at all, it’s best not to respond to it. In fact, your company may be better off removing these comments altogether. |
