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How to Reply to a Dissatisfied Customer on Social Media

[fa icon="calendar"] 23-Aug-2015 11:30:00 / by Scott Lipow

Thanks to Scott Lipow from Six7 Marketing for this guest piece! 

Not every product you sell – or service you provide – will deliver unblemished customer satisfaction.  The truth is that some customers will find a way to be negative and complain, even if your company is not at fault. In this day and age, social media magnifies the voice of the customer to a huge extent.

Dissatisfied customers used to directly call the company on their phone line for customer service.  

But times have changed. Now, a disgruntled customer can write a negative review on Yelp or Zagat, tweet about it, or even complain on your company’s Facebook page. Since social media is very public and widely used, this transparency awards the customer with more influence over the reputation of your business. 

The customer is no longer complaining privately to your company. They are complaining publicly to everyone who happens to view that review, tweet, or Facebook comment. Your business must go above and beyond to remedy the situation and make sure that your hard-earned reputation is preserved.

Customer satisfaction on social media is now critical for any brand. Look at the statistics – according to a marketing study conducted by Dimensional Research, “an overwhelming 86 percent of respondents indicated that their buying decisions were influenced by negative online reviews”. The more negative online press and reviews your business is receiving, the more customers are dissuaded from buying from you. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how to appropriately reply to dissatisfied customers on various review sites, Facebook threads, and Twitter.

4 Key Things to Do to Handle a Dissatisfied Customer on Social Media

1. First, you must think before you speak  

You don't want to act rashly and regret your response once it’s too late. You also want to completely understand the situation, and evaluate the potential costs and benefits to delivering an official company response. The review or comment may be a particularly damaging attack, but also outside of the scope of your services and therefore not a valid customer concern. It may not be worth your time to engage with such malicious intent. You should be spending your time replying to legitimate, fair complaints from valuable customers.

2. Don't think too long though

While thinking before you speak is important, you don’t want to think for too long. After confirming that the complaint is indeed valid, take immediate action. Unnecessary delays in your response may incite the customer to become more frustrated. 

3. Craft the perfect reply

Next comes a most delicate step in the process – how exactly to craft the reply. Should you apologize? Yes, because it shows that you care. Should you take accountability? If your company was truly in the wrong, then yes. Customers value companies who own up to their mistakes and take responsibility for their actions. You should write a genuine apology – rather than stating that you are sorry they’ve had a negative experience. Express regret and deliver a promise that the mistake will not happen again.  Some companies take it a step further and offer a way to “make it right.” For instance, if a customer was unhappy with their lunch, the restaurant may offer a free meal in order to appease the customer and show that they are truly sorry.

4. Mind your tone

Tone is also very important. Use a respectful, friendly tone and speak to the customer as a human being rather than as a faceless number. In other words, write a more personable response. Introduce yourself. Don’t just lead them to your company’s Terms & Conditions.

Customers are the lifeblood of your business. Customer acquisition may help your business grow, but customer satisfaction is the driving force behind your reputation.

A good reputation is built upon many satisfied customers. Therefore, it's imperative to resolve customer complaints before they spread.

Understand the situation, confirm the complaint is valid, respond promptly, and offer a genuine apology with complete accountability. By following these steps, you may even convert these dissatisfied complainers into loyal, lifelong customers.

It’s all a matter of showing you care.

Do you?

 

Topics: Social Media

Scott Lipow

Written by Scott Lipow

Scott is Founder & CEO of full-service marketing agency Six7 Marketing. Scott has extensive experience delivering advertising services for both small business and Fortune 500 clients. Scott earned his MBA from Emory University and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

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