Does Your Business Have a Plan for Dealing with Negative On-line Customers?
It just is logical that you occasionally deal with negative customers, no matter how good you are. How well you deal with these customers will determine whether you are dealing with a crisis or a non-issue. Response time in these situations is critical also.
So it is wise to prepare how you would respond before you receive any such comments. Here is the response plan we recommend to our clients:
Humanize your brand
… create a personality through laughter and having fun in the workplace. Always wear your enthusiasm and your passion.
Listen and accept
… don’t censor. Listen carefully and try to understand your customers’ viewpoints.
Remember to study: Never Worry About Great Customer Engagement Again
Respond directly
… and early response time matters. Time is critical and you have very little.
Be transparent
… explain without offering excuses. Remain calm under fire at all costs.
Fix the problem
… if there is one. Acknowledge the issue and communicate your solution.
Funnel comments/concerns
… to your staff. Keep everyone in the loop and up to speed.
Build a community
… of passionate defenders. Let them defend you with their views.
Create an opportunity
… turn the problem into an opportunity. Don’t neglect spending time finding the opportunity from your adversity … it often will not jump out at you?
Know when to walk away
… if it is a lose-lose situation and you see you are not making headway. When is the issue over? Sometimes it is obvious, sometimes not … but monitor closely for a while.
Remember … your customers are not always right, but they always have the right to choose. And they will tell their friends about their experiences and their choices.
Mike Schoultz is a digital marketing and customer service expert. With 48 years of business experience, he consults on and writes about topics to help improve the performance of small business. Find him on G+, Facebook, Twitter, Digital Spark Marketing, Pinterest, and LinkedIn.
