Jens Ode

One of the most challenging tasks for many companies when it comes to social media is how to deal with bad comments. You have launched your product or or service and when you start searching online you discover negative blog post and negative comments. How should you handle this?

 Prepare your own backyard

First of all, check your own web site. How easy is it to search for information about your products? How many clicks away is your customer service or product manuals? When a blogger discovers news or face a problem with your product they often start at your web site to find out more. If you don’t even have a decent search engine how can you help your customer? If your customers can’t find information on your own web site the smallest issue they encounter will quickly escalate.

 

 Be the customer

If you have decided to approach a blogger who has written a bad post on your product, be honest and credible in your response. Try to see the problem from the customer’s point of view. If there really is a problem with the product, be honest and credible, don’t try to ignore it or insult your customer. This leads back to my previous point, prepare your own backyard. If you discover a problem with a product, is your web site prepared so that you can release information (which can easily be found) to help customers to solve the issue. Take a look at Apple – everywhere you turn on the web site you will find lots of tutorial videos on how to accomplish different things with their products. This is an excellent solution and shows how important it is to provide good educational information.

 

Solve the problem, don’t advertise

When you approach a bad comment, solve the problem. Don’t ever try to advertise for a new product or service. Focus on the issue and solve it, that’s what your customer really wants. They don’t want to buy a new product from you at this stage, they want your honesty, respect and solution.

 

Don’t stick your head in the sand

If you get a lot of bad comments on a product, take a closer look at your product. Is it really ready for the market, or is it flawed? Have you created a misunderstanding about any functions which you can correct with updated manuals? Solve the issues, don’t stick your head in the sand.

  

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