Table of Contents
Introduction
Negative comments can be hard to handle as a brand. It’s difficult not to take condescending remarks and hateful words too personally when you’ve poured your heart and soul into a brand, product, or campaign. Unfortunately, it’s inevitable and every brand is going to face this at some point. There will always be those few customers who simply aren’t happy with your product or service and that could be for many reasons.
So, how do you handle these situations with kindness while representing your brand well? Here are 8 tips that our experienced industry advisors wanted to share about the topic.
Act Quickly
Timing is everything in business, but this is especially true on social media. Have you ever noticed how quickly things can spiral on a social media comment chain? It’s important to respond quickly to negative comments for a variety of reasons, but ultimately you want to let people know you care and prevent it from getting out of hand.
“You may have supporters who want to help you out, but it can ultimately add fuel to the fire,” says Akhilesh Srivastava, Founder & CEO of Fenix Commerce. “If others start chiming in and saying things that aren’t coming from your brand, you may have some miscommunications that lead to bigger issues. Make sure you respond and act quickly to any negative comments to maintain control of the situation.”
Listen and Show Empathy
While someone may just be out there to complain because they’re cranky or truely had a bad experience with your product, there are also customers who may be having a rough time. Have empathy for the people leaving comments and let them know you care about them by taking them seriously.
“Maybe receiving a product that wasn’t what they were expecting doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, but to that individual, it might just be that thing that sends them over the edge that day and how you respond to them at this moment could be pivotal,” says Rachel Roff, Founder and CEO of Urban Skin Rx. “Show them that you care about their experience with their product and do your best to show empathy for them at that moment. You don’t know what’s going on in their life.”
Be Transparent
While it can be difficult to achieve this, it’s important to be as transparent as possible with your consumers. Make sure they understand who you are as a brand and carry that branded identity with you through your interactions with them in feedback.
“It is a delicate and difficult situation when your brand is in the wrong, but it’s important to remember your brand’s values,” says John Berry, CEO and Managing Partner at Berry Law. “Be transparent when it is a mistake that you made and let them know how you’re going to fix the issue as well.”
Take Accountability
This goes hand in hand with transparency. Let them see your brand live out the values you’ve established by taking accountability for anything that happens. Don’t simply send people from department to department with their complaints. Listen and do your best to solve them.
“Let them know you’re working on resolving the issue if you can and don’t be afraid to take accountability for the issue too,” says Chris Vaughn, CEO of Emjay. “Let them, and your other customers, see that you’re willing to do what it takes to make sure they’re satisfied.”
Stay Positive
It can be easy to get sucked into the drama that can come with the negative posts and reviews on social media, but do your best to remain positive. How you react to one customer can be seen by so many if it’s a public interaction. Make sure you’re always communicating well and in a positive tone.
“Maintain control of the conversation and stay positive through the interaction,” says Benjamin Meskin, President of Cabrella. “The tone of the conversation needs to be clear and positive. You have to make sure nothing comes off as condescending or passive aggressive. Be careful as you type responses. It doesn’t hurt to have a coworker check it to make sure your words are reading as intended too.”
Be Personal
Be personal and let them know you’re specifically paying attention to them. Don’t use a generic response to reviews – especially negative ones. Whether it’s happening in the comments or someone has created a post somewhere and is tagging your brand, you need to be personal.
“People say that the sweetest thing you can say to someone is their name, and that’s because it communicates to them that you care about them,” says Alan Ahdoot, Founder and Partner at Adamson Ahdoot Law. “Let them know that you’re taking the time to look into the issue by customizing each response so they know they’ve been heard.”
Be Thankful
This can be difficult, but if a person feels appreciated, especially in a situation that’s led to negative comments, it can turn their feelings around. So how do you go about thanking someone graciously in a situation where they’ve left a negative review?
“Let people know that you appreciate their feedback,” says Rob Bartlett, CEO of WTFast. “Tell them how you’re going to use their feedback to better your brand in the future – even if it’s just a generic idea. This lets them know their opinion and experience matters enough to you to make a change and be intentional about something.”
Know When to Message Privately
Sometimes a situation can’t be resolved on a public platform. It’s a delicate balance, but sometimes you need to message a person privately to avoid causing more drama or comments on a post that is stirring up a bit of trouble.
“There are situations where you may have to go to a private message platform and either delete the post or prevent further comments from being made,” says Phillip Akhzar, CEO of Arka. “However, there are some situations where you have to move it from the public view to prevent larger issues from arising.”
Conclusion
While negative comments and reviews are never a pleasant experience, there are ways to mitigate these responses in a way that helps your brand retain its values while also solving potential issues for clients.
All of these tips seem to point to being open and honest with your consumers while maintaining a positive dialogue and upholding what your brand stands for. Look for ways to be empathetic and understand that you don’t know what’s going on in that person’s life so simply listening and being intentional in conversation can help them feel respected.
Don’t forget to thank them for letting you know about the issue to reinforce the idea that they are important enough for you to continue looking into the issue after the conversation is completed as well.
