For part 1 of this series, click here.
Now that people almost always search online to find reviews about companies and brands before making a purchase, online reputation is something to guard closely. Below are some more options for companies facing controversies or criticism online, to maintain the brand strength, and therefore keep the customers coming.
Respond promptly. Some comments on social media may really be politely-worded constructive criticisms from supporters who were disappointed by the company’s product or service just this one time. Comments like this should evoke an immediate response that thanks the customer for providing feedback, and promising swift action. Responding promptly is important because the company takes ownership of the conversation, making sure that it goes only in the preferred direction (read: puts the company in a positive light). Investigation should be conducted to verify the complaint, and thereafter, the resolution should be posted for all to see. The response could be an apology or a defense: but the key is to reassure the complaining customer and the prospective customers that action is being taken for the incident not to happen again.
Respond indirectly. Sometimes a comment can be too damaging to ignore, and yet damaging to address directly as well. For example, if the criticism also involves a competitor brand, a direct response may also inadvertently provide the competing brand the exposure. An indirect response can be the “cool” option: the company puts itself above the fray, and does not provide more traction to the harsh criticism. For example, a criticism about the quality of the company’s product can be addressed with a post about an award, or acclaim that the same product received. It will show the skeptics and critics that perhaps, the issue is just a matter of opinion, not fact.
Complain to the authorities. If the criticism or negative content is damaging, malicious, and/or based on something fabricated, reporting to the authorities can be an option. Blocking and reporting are examples of complaining (since the page “authorities” get notified), but these are just preliminary steps. If the source is a journalist, or a reviewer in his industry, the aggrieved company can report the incident to the person’s employer, emphasizing concerns regarding ethics and professionalism.
Just a rule of thumb for all of these steps in online reputation management: where the customer posted the criticism, the response should be on that medium as well. An exception would be if the controversy unnaturally arose on the asset of another party which may not be inclined to host the conversation on their space. In such cases, the response should note that interested parties should go to the specific other venue to follow the discussion.
