How to Handle Negative Comments
If you have ever considered using social media for your school lunch program, then you’ve probably wondered how you would handle negative comments that people would make about you or your program. This is completely natural.
Traditional forms of communication don’t usually allow for dialogue – information usually flows in just one direction. Email, your website, even letters you send home don’t make it easy for parents or kids to give you feedback or share their opinion about what you are doing with others. Today, that’s changed. Facebook is the 4th largest website in the world – everyone is using it. And they’re using sites like Facebook and Twitter to share ideas and opinions with their friends. They’re talking about what their kids are eating (and the kids are talking about lunch, too).
But you know all this. That’s why you’re thinking about using using social media. This doesn’t mean they’re not sharing their opinion, though. You just weren’t part of the conversation. Before social media, if someone liked or did not like your program, there wasn’t a venue to express this opinion. All a person could do was tell a few friends over a casual dinner conversation that they liked your program. Now, if someone likes what you are doing, they have a forum to communicate this. With the click of a mouse, they can tell hundreds or even thousands of people in a single moment how great your program is.
The same thing goes for negative comments. And despite your best efforts and intentions, there will come a time when someone will post an opinion of your work that is less than glowing. Perhaps the most common fear of using social media is the concern that someone will leave a negative comment, which will reflect poorly on your school nutrition program.
How do you handle negative comments – especially when you know that the whole world could be watching? We created the following list of things to keep in mind when dealing with negative comments.
1. Embrace the Negative.
More often than not, people who post negative comments are those who want to see your product improve. Embrace them. Get them involved in solving the problem. By demonstrating your openness to deal with the situation, you will boost their confidence in you. They may become your biggest advocate.
2. Face the Inevitability.
You are always at risk for negative feedback; yet at the same time, users expect to see it. If you have 99 positive comments and only one negative – the negative comment validates all the positive ones. Your followers will know that all the positive feedback is not propaganda.
3. Gain Home Court Advantage.
People are going to leave negative comments whether you like it or not. So why not give yourself home court advantage? If you deny your followers the forum to speak, they will leave the comments in places where you cannot easily reply and deal with the situation. Consider social media for own free alarm system. You will be alerted every time a parent or student has problem.
Negative comments offer the opportunity to improve your product and engage in meaningful conversation. “Home court advantage” creates an environment where your company has control of the situation and can easily minimize the impact that negative comments may have.
4. Patience is a Virtue.
It is important to remember not to react impulsively to a negative comment, although it may be very tempting. Take the time to fully understand the commenter’s position and formulate a reply.
By taking your time you are also allowing your other followers to react to the negative post. This can help you refine your response and they may end up fighting the battle for you.
5. Lost in Translation.
Humor and sarcasm are commonplace in our daily communication. But, it is important to remember that these expressions are often lost in translation in social media. Sometimes we perceive a comment as angry or negative, when in fact that is not always the intent. Remember to keep your communications clear, succinct and simple.
Social marketing is about engaging your customers and making them feel as though they are part of your organization. You shouldn’t be afraid of negative comments. They are part of the dialogue, and if handled correctly, they can lead to something positive. Everyone expects to see something negative and if they do not see it, they will search elsewhere for the real story. Embrace the negative. It’s not about controlling the discussion – it’s about joining it.
