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As we often say, every brand experiences negative feedback. But it’s how you handle it that separates you from everyone else. If you’re willing to engage genuinely and honestly, you can expect one of these three positive results:
1. Love
2. Respect
3. Truth
1. Love
The response you should always aim for is to turn a former critic into a loyal, adoring fan. By acting quickly and making things right, you’ll get customers posting things like, “I love these guys. They saw my problem, approached me, and fixed it.” An upset customer might talk to five people, but a formerly upset customer you win over will talk to 10 times as many.
2. Respect
If you can’t earn their love, you should at least work to win their respect. You won’t always be able to fix every problem, but a genuine effort can still turn the conversation around. In this scenario, you’re looking for a response like, “They couldn’t fix my problem, but they came to me and tried to help. I respect them for it.”
3. Truth
Finally, sometimes you’ll find yourself dealing with someone who just can’t be reasoned with. When this happens, it’s not the attacker you’re trying to speak to, it’s everyone else following along. If you make an honest attempt to fix the problem, everyone else will see the critic being unfair and know you tried to do the right thing.
[Welcome back to the You Can Be a Word of Mouth Marketing Supergenius! newsletter. This is text from the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]
Bad things happen to good companies. Sometimes it’s your fault, sometimes it’s bad luck. But it’s how you respond that matters. A few tips:
1. Never underestimate the power of a sincere apology
2. Point to independent sources
3. Fix problems publicly
1. Never underestimate the power of a sincere apology
An honest, genuine apology can cut through the hysteria and calm even the harshest critics. It’s not always easy for a brand to do — it requires humility and candor. But not only can it defuse the current situation, it can also help you build credibility for the next time an issue comes up. To see how this can be done well, see how Amazon’s Jeff Bezos apologized for his company’s removal of certain copies of George Orwell books from Kindles.
2. Point to independent sources
It’s common for negative word of mouth to involve a lot of misunderstanding and misinterpretation from customers and critics. A great tool to use here is third-party sources that can explain the full story. This strategy of redirecting the conversation to outside experts was a key part of UPS’ response when a competitor launched an attack campaign over new industry legislation.
3. Fix problems publicly
When you solve problems in public forums, more people get to experience what a great company you are. Your options will vary depending on your industry, but even the most regulated brands have options here. Take H&R Block, for example. They take conversations offline to exchange sensitive customer information and then invite them back online when the problems are resolved.
Because our world is run by humans, it’s a given that things will go wrong.
At some point, something is going to break. Maybe it’s your fault, maybe not. The details won’t matter to the customer that’s stranded, delayed, hopeless, and generally screwed.
And this is the point where great word of mouth marketers separate themselves from their competitors: They see it as an opportunity to go above and beyond. They amaze people with their quick work. They do whatever it takes to make it better. They offer hope to the hopeless.
And it works for anyone — regardless of size. It’s not about how big your budget is, it’s about how much you’re willing to hustle to make things right.
How a word of mouth marketing supergenius does it:
When a Southwest Airlines flight from Fort Lauderdale to Denver had to be diverted to Pueblo because of bad weather, passengers were forced to wait two hours on the ground until the Denver airport could reopen.
Passengers were tired, frustrated, and stuck.
And that’s when the Southwest pilot announced he was ordering pizza for everyone. About 30 minutes later, row by row, the pilot personally handed out slices to the stranded travelers.
Learn more: The Denver Channel and The Consumerist
(Photo by James Mino, featured in The Denver Channel.)
[Welcome back to the Word of Mouth Marketing newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]
Is a fear of negative word of mouth holding you back? While we can’t tell you how to avoid it altogether, here are 3 things you should know about it:
1> It happens to everyone
2> It’s a pre-existing condition
3> It’s an opportunity
1> It happens to everyone
There’s a critic for everything, and whatever you sell isn’t immune to criticism. Smart marketers have a combination of thick skin and a willingness to learn and make things better as a result of negative feedback. Whatever you’re building, make it amazing, all while knowing you’re bound to annoy someone.
2> It’s a pre-existing condition
Negative word of mouth isn’t something you create by entering a channel you weren’t previously in. For example, people are already saying bad things about you on Twitter whether you have an account or not. But by joining these networks, while potentially rough at first, you’re given a chance to share your side of the story and demonstrate a willingness to listen.
3> It’s an opportunity
There is no bigger fan than the former critic. By working extra hard to solve the headaches of your upset customers and surprising them with the occasional big upgrade or free replacement, you’ll quickly turn negative word of mouth into some thankful love for your brand. Try creating a simple response plan for upset customers that approaches negative word of mouth as an opportunity to earn a new fan — you won’t convert everyone, but those who do will be some of your biggest talkers.
