As more and more people use the internet and social media as outlets to vent their frustrations, businesses and brands are learning the hard way to pay better attention to their customers.

"When customers feel that they have no other option but to take their customer services concerns online, that is exactly what they will do. To avoid this, companies need to take exceptional care of their customers, proactively drive solutions from the very first contact, and ensure that customers never have a reason to go outside of the contact center for resolution. Otherwise, greater numbers of savvy customers are going to turn to social media to air their concerns, resulting in negative publicity for the company that could have been completely avoided". (customerthink.com)

Businesses can’t ignore social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) any longer and need to implement strategies to keep up with these growing trends. It’s not just a matter of having accounts and publishing sales messages (social media should be about creating dialogues not monologues) but they need to get in the customer’s mind and learn how to connect with them. It is essential that business owners and anyone who has a touch point with customers to get educated and learn how to handle customer comments and complaints on these various social media platforms.

Here are a few points to keep in mind:

1. Respond quickly (under 24hrs is best)

2. Develop a customer service strategy and social media policy

3. Get educated

3. Be honest and transparent

4. Listen

5. Don’t ignore

6. Follow up with every comment or complaint

7. Be proactive

Social media puts the power into the hands of the consumer. It is up to businesses to create exceptional customer experiences and develop healthy customer relations.

How do you handle negative comments on social media platforms?

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