Believe it or not, there are still some businesses out there that refuse to become involved in social media because they’re afraid of what people might say or do.
Worse yet, there are businesses that have published social media sites, but the sites are practically inactive. They’ve checked “Establish Social Media Site(s)” off their marketing list, but the sites aren’t maintained or promoted in any way.
If we could just sit those seemingly “anti-social” businesses down on a comfy couch and get to the root of their actions – or lack thereof – we’d be willing to bet that they’re largely fear driven.
- They’re afraid of sticking their neck out – the World Wide Web can seem like a huge, scary place. (We know!)
- They’re afraid of how much time it’ll take to manage and stay current with everything.
- They’re afraid of things spiraling out of control in the event that they actually GET attention for what their business does.
And, while most of us know we absolutely rock what at we do (that is, after all, why we’re in business!), there’s a little voice deep down inside that is afraid of not having any control over other peoples’ actions or reactions.
There. We said it.
Yes, people can be cruel. And no matter how big you are or how stellar your social media team is… regardless of what industry you lead, how brilliantly your star product shines, or how impeccably service-oriented your company is, your brand is going to encounter some bad press from time to time.
Someone, somewhere will be unhappy about something. And, the likelihood is that instead of connecting with your company via the telephone or (dare we suggest) in person, and telling you directly what they’re unhappy about, they’ll send their hasty, overly emotional, spelling error-ridden message out into the universe for all to see:
“So, THERE! Take THAT, brand X!”
This isn’t to say that every person who posts negative comments online is a crazy, thoughtless hack, but we are seeing more and more exceedingly negative feedback posts appearing in the social media streams of just about every industry. While it’s true that venting a bit relieves stress for some, there are others who clearly go too far.
That said, we all know there are times when we need to shut up or pucker up, and social media provides plenty of opportunities for us to do both.
In an earlier post, we touched on the importance of turning negative feedback around.
Sometimes you can turn it around, and sometimes you can’t. But how you respond means everything to your customers – and your reputation.
You’re now aware of an issue relating to your product or business.
We all want to be acknowledged – especially when we’re unhappy about something. One of the worst things a brand can do is ignore a discontented customer. Not acknowledging and addressing comments sends the message that your company doesn’t care what people think. It also reinforces the complaint by allowing it to be the “last word” everyone sees.
Some things to consider before penning a timely response consistent to your brand standards:
* Was the complaint “valid”? (Of course, some semblance of objectivity is needed when determining validity of an issue that opposes ones’ own views.)
* Were specific items addressed or particular products named?
* Were times, dates and locations mentioned?
* Have similar complaints appeared before?
* Did other fans/customers chime in and agree with the initial complaint?
Caveat: Every now and then, someone posts something that is just so “out there,” other fans will generally speak up on your behalf and knock the offending party down a notch or two. In this case, we suggest privately celebrating this little victory in whatever way you want, and then addressing things professionally, according to your social media policy.
You have the opportunity to provide a solution for that issue.
How you respond depends on whether you are providing a solution to, or re-directing, the situation.
* Is it an issue that can be handled by Customer Service? If so, is there a simple and direct way to connect the customer with real people that will help them?
* Is the complaint clearly a case of “operator error,” i.e., instructions were not followed by the customer? If so, can you provide a simple link to instructions that will help them (and everyone else who see it) quickly and easily?
* What level of personality and/or TLC is needed to handle the negativity expressed?
* Is there a simple answer to the customer’s issue, or should you offer to take it offline and solve it privately? (In most cases, the latter is the best option, but always make it clear that you’ve responded to their issue!)
Most of us recognize (and really dislike) “cookie cutter” responses intended to reply to the complaint without actually doing something about it. Please make sure those don’t show up in relation to your brand. It’s boring and downright offensive, and it reflects negatively on you stand for.
“Thank you for your feedback. Someone from our customer service department will be in touch with you some time soon...”
On top of one-size-fits-all responses, another example of poor social media relations is placating and/or suggesting that the customer do all the work needed to rectify the situation:
“We’re so sorry to hear that you weren’t completely delighted with our amazing product or service. We’ve been in business for over a hundred years and everyone else in the world loves us… It’s too bad you didn’t get that memo. If you’d like to try us again, please go to www.ourbigfancywebsite.com and click on the “Good Luck Getting An Answer” tab. That will re-direct you to one of 74 completely irrelevant and extremely user-unfriendly pages. Then, check out our list of over 387 FAQ’s. If that doesn’t work, please call one of our multiple, mega phone banks at 800-800-8000 and listen to the ques for the option that sounds most like it might be helpful. Good luck with that. Oh, and thanks for your business.”
You also have an opportunity to personally connect with your customers and show them that you care about them and their experiences with your company.
* Be genuine with your social media community.
* Create a consistent voice that your customers and fans recognize and appreciate.
* Address individuals providing positive AND negative feedback personally by name, and respond to specific details in their posts.
* Reply with actual names (or, names de plume, if you must), versus titles. Messages from “James” or “Mallory” are for more personable and impressionable than those blankly signed off on from “Community Manager” or “Social Media Department.”
* Follow up even when they don’t. Generally speaking, a large number of complainers air their grievances and then never look back. While they may have forgotten their harsh words, you shouldn’t. Find a way to tie up all loose ends with negative posts. Remember that once something is out there in the internet, it’s essentially out there forever. Consider what your conversation strings might look like if someone stumbles across them years later – completely out of context. Yikes, right?
We’re not suggesting that you go back and completely re-write every single post for your company, but going forward, it might be worth your time to consider what things look like when they show up in someone’s totally unrelated internet search in the future.
While it’s not possible to totally avoid all negativity in social media, it is possible to address it correctly so that your brand isn’t tarnished.
Social media isn’t something to be feared… It just needs to be understood.
Looking for some clarity for your social media plans and policies? Have no fear… Filament is here!
