Here’s how to turn angry customers into loyal ones
Negative reviews aren’t always a bad thing. If you respond the right way, you can turn those negative comments into positive outcomes!
The traditional methods of customer service have changed, with social media now the preferred channel for complaints. Lucky for all the Social Media Managers out there!
A 2021 Sprout Social survey found 49% of users will unfollow a brand if their customer service is not up to standard.
Negative comments will happen to every brand in their lifetime, and while your first reaction might be to ignore or to delete them as they are in plain sight for everyone to see, it’s best to deal with them head-on!
Like positive comments, negative comments influence how consumers see your brand as social media users are more likely to trust posts from other customers over posts from brands.
Here’s how to use negative reviews on social media to your advantage.
Respond promptly and with a solution
When it comes to responding to negative reviews on social media, time is of most importance. Customers are willing to spend more on businesses that reply within five minutes of receiving a critical review, according to HBR research.
Classic online game company, Solitaire raised their customer satisfaction score by 16% by implementing this method.
While speed is one thing, you must respond with an apology and a solution to the customer’s problem; 67% of customer churn is preventable if the issue is resolved at the first engagement.
Nothing is more dissatisfying than a standard “we apologise for any inconvenience caused” answer that is nothing more than a string of empty words.
Responding quickly means you can turn the situation by showing all of your followers that you genuinely care about the interest of your consumers.
Showcase your brand’s human side Don’t be afraid to be vulnerable, and let your consumers know that sometimes you make mistakes. That is why you should avoid using automated messages or robots and use trained customer support to respond to negative comments; your followers can definitely tell the difference.
If you have a defined brand personality, don’t shy away from it in your response, it will make the customer feel like they are engaging with a friend, someone they know. But remember to not trivialise their feedback.
Use the feedback to improve your products/services
No matter how great you think your product is, rather than dismissing negative feedback, you can use it to enhance your product or service as there is always room for improvement.
If a customer feels compelled to post a negative comment about your products or services on social media, don’t take it as an attack on your brand, their point of view is valid, and they’re probably not alone in their dissatisfaction. Some people will express their displeasure by liking or sharing negative feedback. This implies that even if it’s only one negative comment, consider it as though it were a protest against your company.
Give power to the positive reviews Consumers are more inclined to trust the positive reviews if your product or services have a majority of positive reviews with a few negative ones thrown in. According to Harvard Business School research, when consumers see a mix of positive and negative comments, they are more likely to believe the feedback. If all of the responses are good, 95% of people think the reviews are false or filtered by the business.
