Response on Social Media Platforms

Social media has ensured that anyone can talk about anything including your company and how great it is or how it sucks (Aw!)

Are you there during the company bashing sessions on social media platforms?

It is very tough to track everything that is being said about you because even setting up a Google alert with the brand name or product name may not crawl through a social media platform. And that is exactly where the influencers and consumers are. This requires certain amount of manual work but it is worth it.

According to Brian Solis author of Engage, only 11% of members of a social media participate regularly in discussions and are active in expressing their opinion. The rest are just readers or listeners and they will be swayed by those participants whom they consider as leaders. So if someone is bashing your company be right there. Respond correctly and never humiliate the basher though personally you may feel like!@#$@!! (uhm…..)

General response posts for companies go like---

1. Looks like you have had a bad experience with our customer service. Can you exactly mail me what went wrong so that I can ensure that you or others never ever go through this again?
2. We are following your feedback on the product. If there is anything else that you would like to share please email us.
3. Thanks for your feedback. We have received similar complaints from other consumers too. We are really sorry for the inconvenience caused. Our development team is working around the clock to rectify the defect. If you will send your order number or purchase number we will send a replacement to your address once the defect has been rectified.

Notice that each post is trying to take the conversation out from the public to the private. This is the wisest way to go because you do not know who the person is and what his intentions are. Is he a plant of your competitors? (Oh yes they are there all the time) and not all members are going to be appeased by such statements. Some are delighted that the company responded and will take the mud slinging to a higher level.

Here are some tough responses to them---

1. We have been repeatedly asking for specific feedback and your order number and have not received it as yet. Please send us details or your action may imply that you are simply out to defame us.
2. We are sorry with your bad experience with out customer service. We are retraining our staff after your experience. However, we feel that it is unfair to blame the entire customer service over and over again especially when they are trying to be at their best.
3. We have noticed that you are taking your complaints against our company to other platforms too. We think it would appropriate to mention that you have also received an apology letter from us.

The art is to identify the influencers and segregate them. Pull them into private conversations. Interact with them. Respond to their posts.

Above all never forget – Only good products make winners.

Regards,
Sangeeta