How does your company or brand respond to negative reviews and comments that have been received out on your social media sites? The trouble is, however, that not enough companies respond to negative feedback right away. In many cases, most do not even bother to respond at all.
This is not recommended and is frowned upon by those companies working successful social media strategies. You must respond immediately and here’s why:
- In a recent survey, Social Media Marketing University found that over half of their surveyed companies do not even have a company policy or plan in place to handle negative social media feedback. Over twenty percent of the companies chose not to respond at all to any negative comments.
- Nearly 60% of those brands surveyed have received negative feedback at one time or another and nearly 30% sustained damage to their brand. This is why it is critical to respond as immediately as possible.
- There seems to be a gap in what is actually happening out there and what corporate management thinks is happening out there. For instance, research has uncovered the fact that nearly 90% of users will abandon your brand if they have received a negative experience. Only about 50% of executives actually think that.
- The Retail Consumer Report noted that nearly 70% of people who sent out a negative comment or review did get a response from the offending company. The problem, however, always seemed to be too little, too late.
- You must respond as immediately as possible. Your social media management team must get on it right away. Don’t have a social media management team? You will get killed out there if you don’t. InformationWeek published a stat that stated nearly 30% of negative responders are expecting to hear back from the offending company within an hour’s time.
- You need someone who has highly developed sales and people skills. These are your people who can turn things around for you the most effectively. You need people of talent and quality handling your social media management.
- Don’t just apologize and empathize. Do something! You are on the verge of losing a customer. There is an old marketing adage that states that if someone has a positive experience with your brand, they will tell three people. If they have a negative experience with your brand they will tell at least seven! Offer them something they will value to minimize as much damage as possible.
- Be honest with people. Talk to them like you are talking with your BFF or significant other. People will appreciate that. In this vein, set up separate phone lines and email addresses for people to complain to and to be responded from. It is the most effective and time saving way to address a negative comment.
The previous Retail Consumer Report showed that 20% of the people who were attended to immediately stayed loyal to a particular brand. An additional 30% posted a favorable comment about being well treated and nearly 35% actually took down the negative comment they had originally posted.
SearchPro Systems
2024