No brand can avoid them. Those pesky critics who seem to have an opinion about everything are taking down your brand one bad Yelp review at a time. So how can you combat these naysayers before they cause your reputation to crumble?
You need to adapt your customer service strategy for social media. Today, it’s easier than ever for customers to share their experiences with your brand – and if their experience is bad, it’s also easier for the rest of your audience to see and take note.
Fortunately, there are three, basic steps you can take to not only address and respond to complaints, but also turn those complaints into an opportunity for your brand. Here’s what you need to do to turn your unhappy customers’ frowns upside down:
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1. Respond quickly
In the “LiSTEN: 5 Social Audiences Brands Can’t Afford to Ignore” e-book (Free!), Jay Baer stresses the importance of taking the time to respond to complaints on social media. In fact, he says, one of the worst things brands can do is to ignore the “haters.”
Instead, act quickly with your response. Show your customers that you’re paying attention and you care about what they have to say. Be polite and courteous, but don’t be too cold. A generic response won’t benefit anyone, and your customers will see right through it. Adapt your responses to each situation and customer and don’t be afraid to be creative in your approach and try new things.
2. Listen to feedback
Complaints may seem like an attack against your brand, but you can actually use them to your benefit. According to Jay, only 5 percent of unhappy customers take the time to voice their complaints. That means the other 95 percent out there are silently dissatisfied with your brand.
Your critics may be shedding light on an issue within your organization that needs to be fixed – one that other customers have noticed as well but haven’t spoken up about. Listen to what they have to say and investigate what needs improvement.
3. Follow through
Once you’ve realized what you need to do, it’s time to act. Keep track of what you promise customers. If you say you’re going to fix their problem and that it won’t happen again, make sure you follow through on your word.
You need to give your customers a reason to choose your brand. Show them that you care about their problems and want to improve your product, operations and services for them. Otherwise, those critics won’t become your customers – they’ll become your competitors’.
Images: Michael Dorausch, Lisa @ Sierra Tierra (Creative Commons)