How NOT to Respond to Customer Complaints on Social Media

Okay, I read the following Facebook posts and after I stopped giggling like a 12 year old schoolgirl, I thought, “Oh, what perfect material for a blog topic regarding how not to respond when a customer complains about your services via social media.”  

So, without further ado, here’s a truly perfect example of what you shouldn't be doing…

Pretty much self-explanatory, right?  The reasoning for not talking to people in the manner illustrated above?  I know it can be tough to take criticism, and while the lady who wrote what she did in this post used all the tact of a raging bull, the chef at Pigalle Boston still, as a business owner, should never have responded as he did - so harshly and with such colorful language!

Even though you might not like what one or two people have to say, you should keep in mind the big picture, and remember once again, that what you post on Facebook (and other social media platforms) is there for the world to see - the world that includes clients and prospective clients.  Other than for the entertainment value, no one really wants to see callous, not-so-well-thought-out comments.  They’re not a great reflection of you and the way you do business.  When posting on social media for business purposes, it’s always best to maintain a sense of professional decorum.  Swearing and name-calling don’t really fall into that category, and while it might seem like a good idea at the time: Always think before you post!!!

So, you want to tell your critics to jump off a cliff - but how should you actually handle put-downs and negative criticism?  Simply let the person know that you are sorry to hear that they’re dissatisfied with the service.  Ask them how they feel you might make their experience better the next time.  Accept it as constructive criticism, and learn from it.  Bottom line:  You can’t please all of the people all of the time.  Just remember, do your best, and keep your customer care/service skills honed so that, even if you’re tempted to, you never respond to negative comments in the manner illustrated above!