Handling negative feedback can elevate your brand and show customers that you really care about them.

It is well said that if a customer is not happy, he or she will tell 10 other people about his or her bad experience.

But in today's digital world, a single customer can reach millions with the click of a button. Sometimes, customers are not satisfied with products or services, and often take to the internet to express their dissatisfaction. These often take the shape of negative comments. As a brand manager, what is important for you is to learn is how to manage negative feedback from customers, knowing that it can adversely impact your brand reputation.

Here are 6 ways brands manage negative comments on social media platforms:

1. Apologize Sincerely and Provide Solutions

You need to show that you truly understand the problem and that it is important to you. Nothing is more important than making your customer feel like their complaints have been clearly understood. Your tone must be apologetic and empathetic, and so should your response. Let your customer know that you will do anything to rectify the problem and that the inconvenience will not be caused in the future.

2. Stay Calm and Take it Out of the Spotlight 

When you see a negative customer feedback, the worst thing you can do for your brand is not handle it with a calm mind. It is very easy to lash out on strangers on the Internet. But before you react angrily, you must realize that your anger will only make the customer more dissatisfied. This can break your brand completely. It can take years to build up trust, but it only takes seconds to break it. Give yourself some time to calm down and rethink, then draft a response to the negative comment that is both kind and helpful.

3. Reply Instantly to Show That You Care About Your Customers

A quick response to the negative comments conveys that the brand cares. By replying quickly, you give your customers the idea that you genuinely care about their dissatisfaction with your product or service. Don’t leave the matter hanging and save it for later. Negative comments must be attended to immediately as a delay will only make the customer unhappier.

4. Send Personalised Messages and Explain Your Actions

Your offer to fix a customer’s issue is a great marketing investment. Give appropriate solutions and suggestions to customers who leave negative comments. This is a great way to handle negative comments timely and also serves as information for other people who may be facing the same problem. Offering a solution to the problem is not only an act of good customer care, but also does wonders for your brand, since other users will see your response and build a sense of trust with your brand.

5. Promise to be Better and Take the Conversation Offline

Every time you respond to a negative comment, end it by saying that you will make an effort to improve your brand, product or services to avoid inconvenience in the future. Assuring them higher quality of service in the future will go a long way with your brand by building a sense of trust as well as being a brand that cares about its customers.

6. Turn Negative Feedback Into an Opportunity to Redeem Your Business

You must try and take the negative comments as valuable feedback. Think of it this way, every negative comment is an opportunity for you to improve your products and services. Brands spend millions of dollars in research to fine tune their products and eliminate problems. This is a great opportunity to look at negative comments as free feedback that you would otherwise never know. Use this feedback to perfect your products and services.

Negative comments can be awful sometimes but it’s important for a brand to look at it positively and take measures to resolve issues. Deal with them wisely and you can easily win over your customers’ confidence again. Consider these tips while dealing with such situations on social media platforms.