Don’t Discuss Customer Complaints with Them Online

Today’s social media landscape has changed the way customers deal with their complaints about a particular product or service they’ve received. This is no different in the automobile industry. And when a potential customer looks for reviews of a business online and finds negative ones, it can have an effect on the company’s reputation and can make that person decide to shop elsewhere.

it or not, people go out of their way to look for bad reviews. The vast majority of customers want to know about a company’s shortcomings, real or perceived, before doing business with them. Also, the unfortunate fact of life is that people are more likely to leave a negative review than a positive one. Why? Because negative reviews – complaints – are inspired by emotional responses!

Then, consider this bit of information, which makes these negative reviews all the more concerning: More than 80 percent of the adult population trusts online reviews as much as they would an in-person recommendation.

Tread Lightly
Knowing this, it is imperative that you react to complaints promptly and with 100% sincerity … but do not get into a discussion with a customer about their issue on social media. However, it’s OK (and even recommended) to ask them to contact you privately! A brief, public response indicates to those who read it that you do care and are paying attention. You are sorry they are unhappy and want to resolve their issue … and you sincerely thank them for the opportunity to serve them. But after that, private communication is a must!

Despite an automobile dealership doing its best to demonstrate care and proactiveness, engaging a customer online risks drawing others’ attention to a negative experience. If, for whatever reason, the public response to the customer’s complaint doesn’t immediately solve their problem, this could lead to excessive, unnecessary responses, not only from the upset customer but also from others. And a sudden influx of negativity can dominate a brand’s social media presence and cause all sorts of headaches for a dealership!

But when you offer a sincere apology and an invitation to continue the conversation using a “closed response” strategy and inviting further conversation via private channels, any additional damage is effectively mitigated. And when you take care of complaints in the right way, these customers often become your biggest future advocates!

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.