Solutions to Problems and Complaints Raised on Social Media

You don’t want your business to be the butt of a gaffe or the stupidity of a mistake.

When the proverbial “stuff hits the fan,” don’t panic; instead, stock up on supplies.

Here are some ways to keep your cool on social media when dealing with more serious accusations.

Relax and breathe deeply

There might be more at stake emotionally if you own the business you’re monitoring on social media. Refrain from letting it bother you. In all likelihood, you did not prepare the quesadilla that had a hair. You weren’t the rude worker who exploded on an unsuspecting client or the inept boss who made a disastrous call. That’s not meant as a personal attack. Breathe.

Apologise

Please express regret for any wrongdoing. Never acknowledge guilt before investigating the matter thoroughly, though, since doing so might have serious legal consequences.

Case in point:

We are deeply saddened by the news of your ordeal.

By saying you’re sorry for “hearing” about the incident, you may show that you’ve listened to the audience’s worries without putting your organisation in any legal jeopardy.

Avoid appearing robotic

Attempt to express regret. It’s easy to feel sympathy for certain complainants, like the parent whose kid didn’t get her free birthday dinner. Your sick grandma was supposed to get flowers, but they never arrived. Some people aren’t, possibly because they were let down by the service or because they were too harsh with the wait staff. Make it clear that there is a real person behind the computer. The use of what seems like a planned response is a typical criticism concerning social media customer support. Avoid becoming repetitive with your responses. Change up your word choice and focus on how you can help them. Instead of reading from a script, saying “We sorry for _, Darlene” makes a far better impression. Do not forget that everyone may view your response on a Facebook Wall if you post it there. If your apologies seem robotic and unfeeling, your followers will lose faith in you.

Time-sensitive replies

Swifter is better. I would suggest within the two hours if you don’t have a team of monitors ready, but for bigger enterprises like our clients, five minutes is perfect. Make it a practise to check social media sites regularly. Avoid letting things slip by the wayside. It will just make your consumer more frustrated with you.

Repeated reading

Reread your comment three times before hitting “Post.” What about the grammar? Do you find it to be sincere and apologetic? Do you come across as really interested in the matter at hand, or as though you’re only going through the motions of your job? In the meanwhile, proceed with caution. There’s no need to look weak or desperate.

Find a trusted third party’s opinion

When faced with a challenging or unclear scenario, I find it helpful to get feedback from a colleague. As a result of their inflammatory nature or the use of profanity, some of the items we come across are off-limits for a response. Establish a moral compass for your business to determine who or what deserves your attention. Create a set of Social Media Guidelines with your firm to show off what you stand for and how you want to be represented online if you’re feeling brave.

Retreat to secluded quarters to talk

Get it off your profile ASAP, whether it’s Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Don’t let a complaint thread, started by anyone, escalate into a snowball of keyboard warriors. To avoid any public displays of disagreement, request that the consumer send you a direct message with their contact information.

Avoid putting off the inevitable and deal with it immediately

Do you know what would happen if you successfully transfer the conversation to private messaging but then fail to follow up? Angrier than before, they will likely make another public post. Take care of it or forward it to someone who can as soon as you have their contact details.

If you feel it’s essential, draught out some talking points

The severity of a crisis may necessitate the development of talking points. You should only ever use a prepared response in this situation. A talking point may be required if you are receiving hundreds of comments on your Facebook wall or tweets on your profile. First, you should express regret for the trouble. Your next step is to update them on the steps you’ve done to fix the problem. This may seem obvious, yet it’s often overlooked. The following is an example of an excellent talking point:

I appreciate you taking the time to contact us. We are deeply saddened by the news of the tragic event. We are not taking this lightly and can guarantee you that the proper authorities are investigating this.

Changes can be made to reflect new information or the need to condense it for use on social media platforms like Twitter.

The specifics of the complaint

If you are not the only person keeping an eye on things, it is prudent to let the team know where the complaint stands. It’s important that your initial reaction doesn’t sound like your second, third, etc. If someone already feels frustrated, having to explain their issue again would just make things worse.

You can trust that this guidance is not being given out at random by the people who are now tracking social media customer care for a Fortune 500 firm.

The finest piece of guidance I can provide is this: recall a time when you had an issue or difficulty with a business. What aspects of their quickness to act and command of the situation did you find most pleasing, or least? Customers should expect the same from your company.