6 Things Every Brand Should Be Doing On Social Media

3. Be responsive

– When someone asks a question about your product or service, or writes/tweets/posts about your product or service (in the positive or the negative), be sure to recognize their post and address their concerns. Use the opportunity to show your personality, service, values, or humanity. Sainsbury’s did this with a “punny” customer.

– Know the difference between attention seekers with illegitimate or unredeemable experiences, and truly concerned customers who want their issues to be addressed.  In both cases, thank them for their feedback and attempt to resolve the issue.  In the former case, you will want to stop responding to public shaming and anger, as it gives them more air time.  In the case of the later, you can easily convert them from a critic to a resounding advocate. Amy’s Baking Company famously lost it online with this interchange with customers.  It escalated from there when a simple apology and silence would have silenced their critics, or at least not turned it into a PR debacle.

Customer complaints can be addressed seriously, or, if well done (as with Dominoe’s Pizza), with humour.