How to turn a social media complaint on its head

Social media is a monster. A hungry monster that is continuously being fed with everything from the funniest content on the web to searing vitriol and bear-faced lies. It’s at the stage where we can’t live with it and we can’t live without it – certainly in business,.

This means that, whether you like it or not, an active presence on social media is a must if you have any sort of a customer-facing business. The trouble is, it’s human nature to only shout about things when you’re unhappy with them – and that means you could be fielding a lot of complaints on social media. Here’s how to deal with them.

What are the benefits of business social media?

There are any number of reasons why your business should be on social media, but here are three of the main driving forces:

  • It’s a great way to raise awareness of your brand, and build advocacy
  • It’s an effective platform for promoting products and special offers
  • It’s a  way to interact with customers and resolve complaints.

Get it wrong though, and it can be disastrous for both your brand and your business – so here’s how to turn a social media complaint into a success story.

Why social media is vital for customer care

If you’re in any doubt as to the impact social media has had on customer care – and, in turn, why it’s vital your business gets it right – then consider the following stats from Conversocial, a leading cloud-based social customer service solution:

  • Customer service interactions over Twitter have increased 250% in the last two years. (Twitter)
  • Answering a social media complaint increases customer advocacy by as much as 25%. (Convince and Convert)
  • Speedy responses on social media mean customers are willing to spend more with your business. (Twitter)

The trouble is, not every bit of feedback on social media is going to be positive, so it’s vital you deal with the complaints swiftly and effectively.

How to turn a social media complaint into a positive

More and more customers are turning to social media to make complaints, possibly because they can’t find another way to get through to your business, or maybe because they think dealing with the matter publicly will make your business resolve their issue more efficiently – whatever the reason, it’s vital any complaints are dealt with.

Check out the infographic below to find out the basics of social media customer care, and turn those negative vibes into positive experiences.