Social Media is a great tool to interact and engage with prospects and customers. However, unhappy (and vocal) customers can ruin your brand reputation by sparking off negative comments or reviews. Customer feedback has the highest credibility among the customers and chances are that not having an appropriate response system can make you lose the most coveted value in your brand – trust. Here are a few tips you should keep in mind while managing negative comments on social media.

Be vigilant

Remember, you may not be on social media but chances are that your brand already is ! So the first and foremost thing is that you should account for all the things being said about your brand on the web, both good and bad. Your team may like to use Google analytic or similar services that are fairly efficient in helping you audit your brand health on the web.

Respond in a speedy way

Negative comments have a tendency to go viral very quickly and lack of response from your side might indicate insensitivity or ignorance from your part. You may not have all the details related to the issue but that should not prevent you from at least acknowledging the comment. Issuing a small apology for the inconvenience caused and a promise that someone with the right details will get back to the aggrieved customer might be a good primary response. However, you must follow-up on it with concrete actions.

Everyone’s watching

You are under a tight scrutiny on web. Your customers and prospects are continuously making an opinion about your brand from the kind of grievance or bad experience posted and the way you are responding to it. So refrain from taking anything personally and do not participate in any verbal spat with the customer. Try to engage him in a private chat and keep the original thread abreast with your efforts.

The hidden opportunity

Negative comments can get really difficult to handle when there is actually a deficiency in service or product from your end. However treat this as an opportunity for wooing back the unsatisfied customer. Show genuine interest in their inconvenience and offer solutions maybe even incentives. If an unsatisfied customer returns back, his loyalty will be long lasting and who knows they may become your brand advocates on the web!

Identify the trolls

Let’s face it; some people just act out of malice. It may be a competitor planted troll or an ex-employee who wants to ruin your brand. Do offer your version once in a polite manner and take a screenshot of the conversation for future. Do not engage further. If it’s happening on your page you may choose to delete it and report it to the forum management.

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