Homer Simpson isn’t a man often turned to for advice, especially in the world of social media marketing where we have all the answers already.But one of the most insightful things he ever said about what customers want was:
“I just want what everyone else wants, preferential treatment!”
Everyone wants that perfect experience that feels like it was tailored just for them. What a pipedream, right? Well, for your more vocal customers who feel like they’re not getting what they want, and who voice this on social media, you have the chance to give them the preferential treatment they want.
Many people are taking to Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, their blogs, and every other socially inclined platform to voice their opinion about experiences. Those who are having a bad experience can be focused on for huge outcomes that not only turn that frown upside-down, but gives you a thumbs up too!
How to turn a bad customer review online into a positive experience
We look at reviews of our company all the time. We mostly find them on review websites, but social media is an important listening space too. You need to look everywhere you can to find opportunities to address problems, and give your customers that perfect experience.
Reflect on what you’re doing as a company
The first thing you need to do when you read a negative review is reflect on your company. You have a perfect opportunity to see what people dislike, and like, about your business.
A negative review is likely going to help point you towards an issue within your company. No one is perfect. Taking the time to correct your flaws can help all of those customers who are also experiencing this issue, but not voicing their problems.
Here’s someone on Twitter who clearly came across a problem when damaged goods were shipped:
The company got on the issue right away and started working on a solution. This also gave them a chance to see if there’s a problem somewhere in their shipping department that hasn’t been noticed yet.
How to respond to these comments
The first thing to do is address it publicly. Do it right on the tweet, Facebook post, or online review website. Make sure that everyone who sees that negative comment also sees your follow up.
In that follow up, ask them to contact you via telephone, email, or any other private communication. You don’t want to air your dirty laundry for everyone to see. Taking the person somewhere private to talk will eliminate any chance that this can turn into a public shouting match with swearing and random insults.
Here’s Amazon getting it right:
They also have a dedicated customer support account on Twitter. The goal of the account is to keep these types of tweets off the main information sharing account entirely.
Figure out if everything needs a response
There are some issues, like the one above, which require a response every time. Someone is making a direct claim on an order they made, provided the number, and referred to a specific incident.
Do you need to respond publicly to every single claim? No. There are people out there who are going to just say negative things for a variety of reasons, and not expect a resolution. Here’s an example:
No one in the world expects McDonalds to respond to this type of trolling, and their social media team was wise to skip over it. If they were to bring it up, it could very easily give the throw-away comment even more exposure.
Don’t be afraid to lawyer up - lies are lies
Some comments online are just that; comments. Opinion. Other times, however, they are outright lies that are damaging to your public image, and possibly criminal. One such instance was this, restaurant names have been omitted to prevent further spreading of lies:
This, clearly, is someone who doesn’t understand the Internet as he is currently being sued for his lies.
The companies involved did the right thing here:
- They address the situation publicly, on their own Facebook pages so as to not publicize the lies more by commenting on them directly.
- Turned it into a positive by clearly telling people about their many food quality checks.
This turned a very ugly situation into a chance for the company to reassure people that their food is actually maintained at high standards all day.
Let the review stand as a testament to different viewpoints
Sometimes you’ll get a review from someone that comes across as a negative, but can be a positive. Say, for instance, that you’re a nightclub owner. You pride yourself on having a LOUD club that is always full of people. If someone were to complain that your club is too full of people and too loud, feel free to agree with them.
Not every complaint is actually a negative. Sometimes you will be offering something that not everyone in the world likes. You don’t see Skippy peanut butter apologizing to people with nut allergies anywhere on their Facebook page. They just aren’t their target market.
Let’s get back to that nightclub. If someone were to come across that review saying you’re too loud and full, and they want a loud club that’s happening, that could be just what they want to know!
Having negative reactions that are actually positives for your brand are great - you can’t please everyone. But you can please the people who actually want what you’re offering.
Encourage brand participation
A tactic that can garner tremendous results is one where you pay close attention to your biggest brand evangelists. A negative review being posted is your perfect chance to increase brand participation by asking members of your online community to chime in with their positive reviews.
Here’s a timeline:
January 1: Mary posts a comment about you cookies. They’re perfectly baked, chewy the way she likes, and surprisingly flavored. You thank her, and note her review.
January 4: Frank also enjoys your cookies for the same reasons as Mary. You thank him, and note the review.
January 5: Amanda posts a negative comment about your cookies. She thinks they’re soggy, undercooked, and that they taste boring. You apologize to Amanda for the cookies not being what she wanted. You tag Mary and Frank in the post, or include their reviews, showing that others have enjoyed the cookies.
This tactic shows proof that you’re not awful at your job, and may encourage the Mary and Frank’s in your life to post more comments about how much they enjoy your cookies. It may convince Amanda to try your cookies again.
This strategy of turning a negative into a positive works best when you encourage your customers to share reviews on social media so that you have many voices to fall back on when a negative comes up.