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Social media helps us connect with billions of people around the world. It’s a brilliant tool that has brought many opportunities to brands to market their products and services to people they would otherwise have been unable to access. However, there are also a few unwelcome effects that social media has had on brands, including negative comments.
Nasty comments are almost inevitable. Your product is perfect and your presentation flawless, but you can still experience negative comments on your social media posts. If your brand’s image isn’t at stake, it can be easy to say, “Ignore them.” But one negative comment can potentially damage your brand’s image. You can’t use automated replies leading to chatbot failures and exacerbating an already bad situation. Fortunately, there are ways to deal with this problem, such as:
1. Reply Immediately
The last thing you want is for a negative comment to stay on your post without a response. Whenever someone leaves a negative comment on your post, you should write a helpful and polite reply trying to fix the problem. This way, you dispel any effects the social comments might have had on your audience and successfully make the audience have a positive image of your brand.
If you’re lucky, you might even change the mind of the commenter. It’s essential to do your best to control your brand’s image, and replying carefully and swiftly is an effective way to do that.
2. Apologize When Necessary
Apologizing is an effective way of avoiding conflict and reminding the customer that they are the priority. Except when apologizing would hurt your brand, it’s helpful to apologize for any inconvenience that they might have experienced.
The customer is always right is true even when it’s not. If you decided to debate the customer, it would be a bad look for your brand even if they’re wrong. Your aim should be to resolve conflict and restore the good image of your brand without being rude or unprofessional.
3. Communicate Your Intention to Fix the Problem
This is especially important. If the negative comment was expressed, there could be a real problem that needs fixing. Look through the negativity, and if you feel there is something you can do to make the situation better, tell the commenter that you will work on the problem and let them know that you care. This can do wonders for your image and might even lead to helpful insights.
4. Be Polite
This is extremely important and non-negotiable. You must never, no matter the circumstance, be rude to a customer. Even if the person who is commenting isn’t your potential customer, your rude reply can severely damage your brand’s reputation.
Do your best to be polite and use words that can help you resolve the conflict. Even if the commenter doesn’t appreciate this, other people who view your social media comments can see your brand personality as professional and client-focused.
5. Move the Conversation Elsewhere
A good way to dissolve the conflict is to move the conversation somewhere else. You can do this by asking the client to send you a private message through the social media platform or to send you an email. This way, the client feels heard and can communicate the problem constructively. This can also prevent any further negativity in a public space that can potentially harm your brand’s image.
6. Use Personalized Replies
Using an automated reply can further infuriate an already angry customer. By expressing empathy and apologizing while clearly addressing them, you can increase your chances of resolving the conflict.
It’s comforting for a customer making a complaint to receive reassurance from another individual rather than an automated system. If they receive an automated response, they can feel ignored and frustrated. This can lead to a stream of negative social media comments, and you definitely don’t want this.
7. Provide an Explanation
Explaining can help your customer see things from your perspective without making them feel contradicted. They can have an expanded view of the problem and express patience once they understand the root of the problem. It can also give them confidence in your ability to provide a solution. Most importantly, they will no longer feel unheard or kept in the dark.
It is also essential to not just explain why the problem occurred. You should also define the steps you intend to take to get the problem corrected. This is what they want to hear. Once you let them know that you are taking active steps to solve the problem, you have a good chance of effectively resolving the conflict.
8. Delete the Comment
This should be a last resort. Unfortunately, some people just want to stir up chaos and can consistently try to provoke you. In this situation, you should delete the comment and if necessary, block the person from accessing your page.
Conclusion
Negative comments can be a nightmare, but if you deal with them effectively, you can turn a bad situation into an opportunity to boost your brand’s image positively. Regardless of the strategy you choose to employ, your aim must always be to resolve the conflict and fix the problem.
An angry customer is a potential loyal customer. If you deal with the negative comment effectively, you might win the commenter over to your brand, along with other people who view the interaction. The best way to protect your brand’s image is to create happy customers.
