Jul26

Do Not Fear the Negative Comment

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Possibly the greatest fear that new corporate bloggers have is the infamous negative comment.

Yet, organizations deal with negative comments successfully in many ways already. They get complaints via customer service, white mail, package inserts, blow-in cards, emails, comments given to reps on sales calls, and even folks who approach representatives at conventions — in the trade booth, walking down the hall, or even in the washroom, if the employee’s badge is visible. Most organizations have no problem handling negative conversations under these circumstances.

The same skills and responses are the ones that work in handling negative comments that might happen when blogging.

When we respond to comments on a blog, it’s easy to be generous, if we remember that one individual wrote the comment based his or her experience. Though eye contact isn’t possible, authentic interest and recognition of the individual most certainly is. All we have to do is listen and let the person know we are. Listening is the first and most powerful response we have to offer.

If we use the blog to listen and answer with respect . . .

If we let the commenter know that we heard . . .

If we are transparent about looking for a viable solution, one that is reasonable and tilted slightly to favor the customer when we can . . .

If we let customer know we always do that . . .

Then,
we don’t need to solve every problem. We can be honest about the times when we don’t have the resources or power to change the past — that our best solution is to offer a sincere apology and move forward.

Customers understand that there are limits to what can be done and what cannot. If they are treated with respect and if we let them know we’re working on our problems, they’re willing to give us the time that they would want if the situation reversed.

That is unless we’ve so burned our customers, we have to prove that we’re not just telling them stories. But that’s a different blog post.

Liz Strauss

 

  • http://managetochange.typepad.com ann michael

    This is so true. It’s also sometimes true that we interpret a comment as negative when it really isn’t. If you’re getting beat up or if you’re nervous about blogging to begin with – you might tend to be over sensitive. I would recommend NEVER answering a comment you perceive as negative right away – go do something else and come back when you can look at it objectively.

    Great post, Liz!

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Hi Ann,
    Thank you and welcome.
    Words in print require that we always give the writer the benefit of the doubt and leave our personal feelings out. That’s what you’re advocating and I agree wholeheartedly with standing back and waiting.

    It’s so easy to be over-sensitive, especially at the beginning . . . when it can seem like everyone and no one — at the same time — are looking at what you’re writing.

    I think your advice to never immediately answer a negative comment with out taking time to breathe first. Finding a way to gracious and generous is really important over the long haul. After all, your next client could be reading your response. :)

    Thanks for taking the time to make such a thoughtful comment.

  • http://www.simplenomics.com Mike

    I’m glad to see someone use a little common sense when speaking about negative comments.

    I hear far too many people say that they are going to stay away from bloggong corporately because of the fear of negative comments.

    I think that’s a smokescreen. I think they just don’t want to expose the fact that they have nothing to say. Shallow pools are easily skirted, whereas deep water demands respect.

    Do companies believe that customers won’t find a place to bring up the negatives ?

    Would it not be better to face it head on and fire back with positive responses and show a willingness to go above and beyond ?

    Great post Liz !

  • http://www.lettingmebe.blogspot.com Liz Strauss

    Hi Mike,
    I wrote post about how when you fall off your bike you have to get back on again, especially when the kids you want to talk to are in a park across town on the bike trails.

    Customers will talk with or without companies. Companies can cover their ears and not listen, but I think that will just make customers talk more and louder.

    I’m with you on the point that facing the information with an open response is the only way to deal with it. But apparently folks like DELL don’t agree. Go figure. :)

  • http://www.lizstrauss.com/2006/08/04/everyones-business/blogging-conversation-dialogue/ Liz Strauss [dot] com Blogging Conversation-Dialogue

    [...] I find it interesting as with my earlier discussion of negative comments. The online model of marketing, in this case having conversation, isn’t different from what organizations are already doing. Sales reps, customer service people, marketing folks, CEOs, all members of an organization should be having conversations with customers on a daily basis. Some of those conversations are voice recorded. Some are via email and could be passed on to infinite numbers of other people. [...]

  • http://www.lizstrauss.com/2006/07/31/everyones-business/how-do-blog-your-way-to-a-better-relationship-5/ Liz Strauss [dot] com How To Blog Your Way to a Better Relationship

    [...] I ended the article, Do Not Fear the Negative Comment, with That is unless we’ve so burned our customers, we have to prove that we’re not just telling them stories. But that’s a different blog post. [...]

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