The ideal time to start a corporate social media program is not as a reaction to negative feedback, and getting up close and personal with your critics is one of the hardest parts of maintaining a presence in social media. But it’s actually becoming quite a typical story: the company gets wind of a blog post or even a dedicated site slam-trashing their brand all over the place. Panic ensues. What to do?

Here are some guidelines, mostly from a corporate customer service perspective, for addressing negative feedback on the web. And as always, common sense and best judgment apply.

Decide whether or not the item warrants a response. Yes, there are such things as posts you should ignore, including obvious “troll” postings, rants, or degrading portrayals of people or companies that are baseless and inflammatory. Feeding these beasts is usually a waste of time; instead, monitor quietly to gauge the response to the item from the *rest* of the community and respond to substantive criticism only when it will result in progress.

Acknowledge the issue. The “I’m sorry we disappointed you” can go a long way to diffusing a tense situation and an unhappy customer. It’s not about admitting fault, it’s about acknowledging someone’s feelings of being let down. Do this publicly in the medium where the complaint or negative post occurred.

Find out what went wrong. Ask to understand what happened, and what made the experience go awry. Ask what will make it better. You can do this via a backchannel like email if more comfortable for the customer or if confidential information needs to be shared, but make sure you do it.

If there’s misinformation, correct it. Provide factual (not emotional) information in response, along with an offer to elaborate or provide more detail if needed through backchannels. Provide contact information for a real person for follow up (not a general customer service line).

If you have a solution at the ready, offer it. No solution yet? Explain what next steps you’re going to take to come to a resolution. If at all possible, have the responder be someone who is authorized to actually solve the problem without having to escalate it and pass them around to several people. Follow up to be sure that whatever was promised – whether resolution or just information – is delivered.

Not everything needs fixing. If you want to respond to a situation or criticism but don’t intend to change your product or practices as a result, that’s fine. A critique doesn’t always mean there’s something that needs correcting. But offer an explanation of your position, in real words. Just clearly stating your position can be reassuring to your customers, even if you agree to disagree. Skip the corporate speak.

Don’t be terse or defensive. Nothing kills trust faster. Focus on positive outcomes and moving the situation forward, not rehashing details that have already been covered.

Respond in public whenever possible, and be transparent about who you are and the company/organization you represent. Contrary to what you might think, acknowledging criticism in front of an audience can strengthen your reputation.  When responding, use a professional but friendly tone, take the time to craft a response (vs. an off the cuff reaction), and support information you’re providing with links or other references wherever possible.

Be creative about what’s next. What about having a negative reviewer be part of your next product innovation brainstorm? It’s not for the faint of heart, but it can be a gold mine of new perspectives.

Say thank you. It’s just as important in the face of a critique as when you’re told something nice. Thank them for sharing their experience, and caring enough to be angry and say so. It’s a great opportunity for you to learn, and graciousness can diffuse even the most sticky situations. (It’s called the art of diplomacy.)

I’m going to be brave here, too, and realistically say that there is a time to walk away. When you have attempted resolution for a problem through all rational channels, sometimes you have to say you’ve done the best you can, thank them for their perspective, and let it drop.  If criticism of a product or service devolves into mud slinging, accusations of malpractice or illegal activity, or personal threats or attacks, it’s time to walk away (and perhaps consult legal counsel for your business if liability or other regulatory issues are in question). Civil discourse and discussion is fine, even healthy. Nastiness is not.

Perhaps the most important lesson in addressing criticism online is to keep the door open, and don’t get discouraged. If you’re thrust into a crisis and need to respond, take the opportunity to keep the channels of communication open with your customers and learn from what you hear and read. Responding to negativity isn’t the ideal way to start the conversation, but it can sure be a great incentive to keep it going and learn a few things along the way.

What have you learned about engaging detractors online? Can you share examples of what’s worked for you and what hasn’t? I’d love to learn from you, and help guide others too.

Photo credit: Striatic

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