Social media is perhaps the top most critical component for businesses in this technology-driven age. Although it is relatively easy to set up an account and get started, it’s important to be prepared in all aspects when it comes to running a social media account for your business. Your social media will essentially become the number one resource you use to interact with customers and handle their needs. So, are you prepared to deal with disappointed customers publicly?
Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook are popular outlets that people use in order to express major dissatisfaction with a business. Complaints from customers run anywhere from services provided, to the quality of a product that was sold. Typically, customers will tag you on platforms like Twitter and follow their tag with their description of dissatisfaction. Most social media platforms like Twitter are being accessed and seen by millions of users around the world. A few steps on how to deal with customer complaints while the rest of the world watches are:
- Understand where your services failed.
- Empathize with the customer.
- Reach out to them in a more private matter by sending them a direct message or offering a direct phone number or email where they can contact you immediately.
- Never delete and ignore a complaint.
However, dealing with an angry customer is not the only way you can drag your company’s social media to rock bottom. Mismanagement of your social media like posting on a sensitive subject, liking a post which may be of a controversial topic, and not listening to your customer’s needs can cause a major meltdown. Setting up an account for your business is the easy part, but maintaining healthy traffic, engaging, and monitoring content is key to a successful social media.
Developing a crisis plan is also an important step in order to be prepared for a social media meltdown. You never know when chaos can strike and it's better to have a back-up plan than improvising during a moment of crisis. Try to distribute tasks evenly that way everyone in your team can act accordingly and handle a situation with care. The most important thing is to avoid panicking and manage the task at hand at the best of your abilities.
Staying professional, never losing connection with your customers, and being empathetic will keep you on a strong path to social media greatness!