Negative online reviews sting. 94% of consumers say an online review has convinced them to avoid a business. This shows how impactful digital critiques are.
Every review, tweet, or comment on social media about your business is a chance to show your commitment to customer satisfaction and your willingness to improve. Responding to negative reviews, in particular, is a critical part of this process.
Responding strategically to negative reviews on social media would turn the PR crisis into an opportunity for growth. Research shows that 97% of consumers read responses to reviews, and businesses that respond to negative reviews can see a 16% increase in customer advocacy.
From acknowledging the issue to offering solutions and following up, each step contributes to maintaining and enhancing your business’s online reputation. So, whether you’re a seasoned social media pro or just starting, it’s time to get a knack for responding to negative online reviews on social platforms.
In this piece, we’ll explore a few proven ways to tackle negative online reviews on social media.
1. Show empathy by understanding customers’ concerns
A negative review may instinctively switch on your defensive side. But don’t let that emotion take over. Instead, craft a compassionate response by putting yourself in the customer’s shoes and acknowledging their concerns.
Imagine a frustrated customer venting about difficulties navigating your B2B SaaS product. Maybe they’ve not gone through the documentation for self-help, or perhaps they must have been overwhelmed by the technical documents. So, instead of pointing to the self-help directly or attempting any dismissive response, simply apologize at first.
To show genuine concern, you can respond, “We apologize for the difficulties you’re experiencing with our SaaS product. We understand your frustration. Our team is working to provide a quick solution.”
Take the example of Skyscanner, who had issues with changing flights. A swift response in the form of an apology and a link to a workaround can help tackle the issue while ensuring others that their queries will be resolved.
Hence, acknowledge the customer’s experience and express that you understand their concern.
Here are some key factors to consider when weaving in empathy for social media responses:
- Avoid blaming: Don’t point fingers or make excuses. Focus on the customer’s experience.
- Offer a sincere apology: A genuine apology goes a long way in diffusing anger and frustration.
- Validate their feelings: Use phrases like “I understand your frustration” or “I’m sorry to hear you’re having trouble.”
- Reassure them: Let them know you’re committed to resolving the issue and making things right.
Ultimately, use the platform to create a positive foundation for resolving the issue and rebuilding trust.
Read More: How To Leverage Social Listening For Crisis Management
2. Respond quicker
When faced with a negative review online on social media, take your time to formulate a plan of action. But don’t get into action too late. A swift response shows that you’re attentive and value customer feedback.
However, take a moment to gather the facts, understand the issue, and craft a thoughtful response. Aim to respond within 24 hours as a standard, even if it’s just to acknowledge the review and inform the customer that you are looking into the issue. A timely response can prevent escalating situations and demonstrates your commitment to excellent customer service.
Imagine a customer posts a frustrated tweet about a delayed delivery time of your eCommerce product. Responding within minutes with a generic “We apologize for the inconvenience” might seem dismissive. Instead, take a few extra minutes to investigate the situation and check your inventory to see if the product is dispatched. If the delivery time is unusually long due to unforeseen circumstances, explain the situation and sincerely apologize. Offer a discount on their next order as a goodwill gesture.
For instance, in the example below, it just took a couple of minutes for Amazon to respond and inform the customer of the next steps.
Responding quickly to a negative review on social platforms prevents it from rotting and potentially escalating into a larger issue. Social media agencies specialize in reputation management and are crucial for maintaining and enhancing your brand identity. They ensure timely and appropriate responses to negative feedback, helping to preserve the trust and loyalty of your customer base.
They ensure timely and appropriate responses to negative feedback, helping to preserve the trust and loyalty of your customer base.
It also includes these agencies helping you tap into useful agency reviews that offer valuable feedback (providing deep learning, growth, and connection opportunities) and a chance to address concerns publicly. This showcases your commitment to customer service, enhancing your agency’s credibility, which may even turn potential negative reviews into powerful positives. In all, you’ll be strengthening your brand in the eyes of both current and prospective clients.
Ensuring quick responses requires making the following adjustments:
- Monitor Regularly: Set up alerts or use tools for social media monitoring that promptly notify you of new reviews or mentions.
- Prepare Templates: Use pre-written responses for common complaints to save time while allowing for personalization.
- Use Automation (Cautiously): Chatbots or other AI tools for social media can help generate automated responses. These can quickly acknowledge reviews but use them sparingly to offer a way to escalate to a human representative if needed.
This approach helps to maintain a positive online reputation and reassures other customers that you value their time and prioritize their concerns genuinely.
3. Take conversation offline
Publicly acknowledging the issue is important, but social media isn’t always the best place to discuss it. Instead, take the conversation offline to a more private channel. This gives you space to dig deeper into the customer’s concerns without airing grievances for everyone to see. It’s like inviting them backstage for a one-on-one chat—much more conducive to understanding and resolving the issue.
This approach shows your willingness to fix the problem, helps protect the customer’s privacy, and avoids a prolonged public dispute. A direct line of communication can make the customer feel valued and heard, leading to a more satisfactory resolution.
For instance, an eCommerce skincare brand, Kravebeauty, asked a customer to email them the information, suggesting that they take the conversation off social media.
Otherwise, you can also respond with a comment like, “We appreciate your feedback and would love to learn more about your experience. Please DM us your contact information so we can reach out.” This shows that you’re taking their concerns seriously and want to resolve the issue.
Here’s how effectively offline conversations work:
- Providing a safe space: Customers may feel more comfortable sharing details and feedback privately.
- Highlights commitment: The initiative to move the conversation offline shows your dedication to resolving the issue.
- Protect privacy: Ensuring that customers’ concerns might be sensitive and better addressed privately.
- Prevent escalation: Public-level back-and-forth can sometimes escalate tensions. A private conversation allows for a calmer, more productive discussion.
- Enable personalized solutions: Understanding the customer’s specific needs is easier one-on-one, leading to more tailored solutions.
This approach demonstrates your willingness to go the extra mile, which can go a long way in rebuilding trust and salvaging the relationship.
4. Offer a solution
Sure, you made a few apologies, took the matter offline, and everything, but there’s also another way to handle negative social media reviews. And that is to offer a solution. Begin by acknowledging the issue, thanking them for bringing it to your attention, and assuring them that your team is already working on a fix. If possible, offer a workaround or a temporary solution while the problem is resolved.
Moreover, you may not have an immediate solution in some cases, but you can offer a plan. For instance, you could say, “We’re looking into this issue and will update you within [timeframe]. Please send us a direct message so we can keep you informed.” This is one way to show that you are taking the complaint seriously and are committed to finding a resolution.
Nike, in the below example, showed exactly this. A quick solution was provided, and the customer was informed via the same tweet. Here’s how Nike handled it.
Here’s how you can effectively provide solutions to social media complaints:
- Offer a workaround or alternative: If a direct solution isn’t available, suggest alternative options to help the customer.
- Outline a plan of action: If the issue requires more time, explain the steps you’re taking to resolve it and provide a realistic timeline.
- Keep the customer informed: Provide updates on the solution’s progress and let them know when they can expect a resolution.
Adopting this solution-driven approach helps maintain a positive online reputation and turn dissatisfied customers into loyal advocates.
Read More: 7 Steps For Effective PR Crisis Management In 2024
5. Follow up after providing solution
Don’t just address or resolve customers’ issues. Take one more step to follow up on the query, which showcases a genuine commitment to their satisfaction. Also, it can turn a negative experience into a positive one, positively affecting prospects or aspiring customers who follow your social media accounts.
After you have taken the conversation offline and resolved the issue, send a follow-up message or comment like, “Hi [Customer’s Name], we hope the resolution we provided has met your expectations. Please let us know if there is anything else we can assist you with. Thank you for making things right.
You can also turn around the negative experience by incentivizing the solution, such as providing a discount on their next purchase, free gift coupons, free delivery, etc. Such tokens of appreciation show customers that you value them and that top-notch customer service is a normal part of your business.
In the example below, McDonald’s India follows up with the customer who raised concerns regarding food ingredients. Even after offering a resolution, they followed up and asked the customer to nudge back.
Consider adopting the following best practices for following up on provided solutions:
- Reiterate the solution: Briefly summarize the steps to resolve the issue and any additional information or resources provided.
- Check for satisfaction: Ask the customer if they’re happy with the resolution and if there’s anything else you can do to assist them.
- Offer additional support: Provide contact information for further assistance if needed.
This extra step shows the customer that you value their business and are committed to providing excellent service. A satisfied customer will likely update their review to reflect their improved experience, benefiting your business’s online reputation.
Bonus: Track your negative reviews with Keyhole
It’s almost impossible to keep a tab on every corner of the internet where your brand is mentioned. But this shouldn’t be as exhausting as it sounds if you use Keyhole. With Keyhole’s advanced trackers, you can spot those pesky negative reviews before they spiral out of control.
Consider it your 24/7 surveillance team dedicated to protecting your brand’s online reputation.
To start with it, consider taking the following steps in your Keyhole tool for enhanced reputation management.
1. Log into your Keyhole account. Select the “Listening and Campaigns” tab.
2. Click on the orange “Add New Tracker” button. From the dropdown menu, select the “Add Advanced Tracker” option.
3. It will take you to a new page (shown in the above screenshot). Now simply add keywords or brand names you want to track, select the platform to monitor, and add criteria and subtrackers as required.
4. Set the tracker name and make a custom URL.
5. The system will notify you every time there’s a mention of your added brand names.
With this set, you can —
- Spot trouble early: Set up alerts and get notified when someone mentions your brand so that you can address any negativity before it spreads.
- Gauge the sentiment: No more manual sifting through endless comments, as Keyhole offers sentiment analysis to categorize mentions as positive, negative, or neutral automatically. This gives you a real-time snapshot of how people feel about your brand.
- Benchmark against competitors: Compare your brand’s online reputation to the competition and identify areas for improvement.
Bottomline
Negative online reviews on social media accounts are a challenge that every business faces, no matter how hard they try. Rather than defending your brand or accusing customers of anything, take these reviews as opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with your customers on a deeper level.
Don’t just acknowledge their concerns. Instead, take prompt actions, provide solutions, and communicate with a purpose to address their challenge. Take conversations offline if you think solutions need proper space for communication, and if there’s a quick fix, provide the same over the social platform.
Ultimately, your responses and solutions are not just for the dissatisfied customer but also for the wider audience who’ll read these interactions. A well-handled negative review can highlight your commitment to customer satisfaction, demonstrate your problem-solving skills, and even turn critics into loyal advocates.
Transform from a reactive firefighter to a proactive reputation manager with Keyhole’s negative review tracking capabilities.
Author Bio
Taher Batterywala is an SEO and Growth Content Marketer. With over 7+ years of B2B marketing experience and a diversified skill set, he helps craft winning strategies and execute end-to-end campaigns for B2B and SaaS companies to achieve scalable organic growth. Outside of work, he enjoys watching movies, photography, and dabbling in design. You can find him on LinkedIn and X.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What if the review is unfair or untrue?
Respond calmly and professionally if you disagree with the review. Even if the review is untrue, offer a solution to discuss it offline and take the conversation off the social platform.
2. Should I delete negative reviews?
No. This is not the best option. Because, deleting reviews can appear as though you are trying to hide problems and can damage your credibility. Instead, address the negative feedback constructively, as mentioned in our blog. However, if a review contains offensive language or violates platform guidelines, it may be appropriate to report or remove it.
3. How do I handle particularly harsh or unfair reviews?
If you encounter harsh or unfair reviews, acknowledge the customer’s feelings and apologize for their negative experience. Better to avoid getting defensive or engaging in arguments. Instead, invite the customer to discuss the issue privately to find a resolution, showing that you handle criticism gracefully and are committed to improving.
4. Should I offer compensation to appease a dissatisfied customer?
Offering a discount, refund, or other forms of compensation is a good gesture. Try limiting it to genuine cases after thorough consideration, as you’ll need to balance customer satisfaction with your company's policies.
