Have you ever wondered why some people feel the need to make negative, nasty comments on social media channels? Whatever happened to the expression: 'if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all.'? Hopefully, most people don't behave like this, but when your business is attacked, what do you do?
Here are five ways to handle the situation and maintain that stellar reputation that you've worked so hard to create.
1) You can't ignore it - We know that the easiest thing to do would be to ignore it. But, you can't do that. You need to call it out when someone posts a negative comment about your business and address the concern as quickly as possible.
2) Take it offline ASAP - Sometimes, the best way to handle this kind of thing is to acknowledge the comment and then say, 'please contact customer service at name@yourcompany.com and they will be in touch with you to resolve this issue'. This way, you're acknowledging their complaint and diffusing the situation at the same time. Good job.
3) Be Polite - Sometimes, common courtesy and being a decent human being goes a long way. Just because they're being rude, doesn't mean you have to be. In the words of Michelle Obama, 'when they go low, you go high'. Be polite always and don't take the bait.
4) Admit when you're wrong - If you do feel the need to apologize, whatever you do, be sincere. There's nothing worse than an insincere apology. A genuine apology can diffuse the situation quickly and let you move on.
5) Get the facts first - Sometimes, companies feel that the best way to resolve an issue quickly is to hand out free coffee or refunds immediately. Don't do that ....just yet. Gather all the details first before you jump to offering them free stuff. You're running a business, after all. And, as much as we'd all like to give away free stuff, you won't be in business very long, if you do that all the time.
If you follow these tips, you'll be sure to handle any negative comments that come your way! You've got this.
Cheers,
