![\"Statistics](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/scary-stats-1024x478.jpg\")
\nNegative customer experiences (especially public ones) can harm your reputation a lot<\/i>. However, it\u2019s only really bad if you don\u2019t handle it well. Or, even worse, don\u2019t handle it at all<\/i>.<\/p>\n
You can not only handle it, but handle it great<\/i>. The idea is not to just defuse the negativity, but to turn it into a positive experience.<\/p>\n
The first obvious benefit of this effort is making the customer feel better. An added bonus is other people seeing and hearing how you deal with tough situations. They\u2019ll have a good first impression of how you do support, even if they haven\u2019t had to reach out themselves.<\/p>\n
7 out of 10 consumers changed their opinion about a brand after the company replied to a review<\/a><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s time to stop thinking of negative feedback as a horrible thing or a chore. Start considering it an opportunity.<\/p>\n Today, we\u2019re going to share some tips on how to do that.<\/p>\n Angry customers often prefer to express their frustration in a public place.<\/p>\n 45% of customers share bad customer service experiences and 30% share good customer service experiences via social media.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n It happens to everyone. For example, here\u2019s a (very much justified) piece of not-so-great feedback about Canny on Twitter:<\/p>\n It\u2019s scary to have something bad about you out in the open. It\u2019s not just that one customer who\u2019s disappointed. Everyone else can also see it.<\/p>\n If you deal with the situation badly, it can skew their opinion of you, whether they\u2019re a customer themselves or not.<\/p>\n If they are, they might refrain from contacting you for support in the future.<\/p>\n If they\u2019re not, they\u2019ll remember that negative comment when they\u2019re looking for a solution like yours.<\/p>\n The public aspect can make you want to deal with this feedback more promptly or thoroughly.<\/p>\n Yes, public complaints are much worse for your reputation. But, that doesn’t mean you should treat them any differently.<\/p>\n Consumers are smart. They can tell if you only put effort into the stuff that is out in the open. If you don\u2019t put the same thought into private issues, the word will get out, whether you like it or not.<\/p>\n You can\u2019t have your bad support skeletons coming out of the closet if you don\u2019t have any. Keep the same standards and practices for every<\/i> interaction with a dissatisfied customer. Your reputation will be known inside and out.<\/p>\n Some people are bad at controlling their emotions when they\u2019re upset. Some<\/i> people even get downright mean and degrading.<\/p>\n We\u2019re all human, and it\u2019s hard not to get upset at it. It\u2019s also not nice to be the one who gets whipped for someone having a bad day. However, returning the aggression will only fuel the fire.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the key to not losing your marbles: don\u2019t take it personally. <\/b>This isn\u2019t about you.<\/i> Irrationally angry customers are not<\/i> a reflection on your skills, personality, or worth.<\/p>\n Remove yourself from being a part of the issue. You are not<\/i> the problem, you are solving<\/i> the problem. You\u2019re going to be the solution. Stay calm\u2014it\u2019ll pay off.<\/p>\n Important note: being nice should have limits. If the abuse from a customer is constant, excessive, or completely unreasonable, don\u2019t take it.<\/p>\n Taking the high road doesn\u2019t mean allowing people to walk all over you. Fighting back is something many businesses are scared of doing. Yet, sometimes it\u2019s the way to go.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of patience running thin after a customer ignored support that was offered:<\/p>\n Notice how even after Proposify’s representative being \u201csnappy\u201d with a customer, the issue was taken to be discussed elsewhere. The result was a satisfied customer.<\/p>\n Sometimes, you have to stand your ground. Otherwise, keep calm, breathe, and don\u2019t take it personally.<\/p>\n Having a bad experience is already frustrating enough. The people responsible for it denying it makes it much worse.<\/p>\n Whether your company is big or small, it can be hard to fully accept when you\u2019ve messed up.\u00a0It\u2019s normal to want to defend what you\u2019ve built.<\/p>\n However, think of negative feedback as a tool, not an attack. Complaints are there for you to realize the weak links in what you\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Negative feedback helps you find things and aspects of your business to fix, so you can do even better. Doing even better will make you even prouder of what you\u2019ve built.<\/p>\n Admitting to your faults isn\u2019t a sign of weakness, it\u2019s a sign of strength. It shows that you\u2019re brave enough to own up to your issues, and fix them.<\/p>\n You\u2019re not a support robot. You\u2019re a human being. Your customers are also human beings.<\/p>\n If the customer isn’t upset to the point of being angry, a healthy sense of humor can help the situation a lot.<\/p>\n However, use your right to be witty very carefully. There is a very thin line between tasteful banter and making the whole issue a joke.<\/p>\n You still want your customer to feel like they\u2019re being taken seriously. Never poke fun at them\u2014only yourself.<\/p>\n It\u2019s understandable that customers expect fast replies to their complaints. Since delays in responses fuel the fire, it\u2019s easy to rush into defusing the situation ASAP.<\/p>\n Think it through before you do\u2014especially with very angry and sensitive customers. A quick reply is\u00a0only<\/i>\u00a0good when it\u2019s useful and calculated.<\/p>\n A quick reply that doesn\u2019t contain any good information or actionable steps is useless. In some cases, it can make the customer even angrier. Nobody wants to get excited about a response, just to find that it\u2019s a filler.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Analyze the problem, look into the customer, and carefully calibrate your reply. Your aim is to provide as much value as you can, while still being reasonably swift.<\/p>\n Your customer will notice the effort you put into thinking about it before you replied. That recognition will override most time issues.<\/p>\n The main solace for an upset customer is knowing<\/i> that you have heard them. That means knowing that you are are actively<\/i> dealing with the issue.<\/p>\n Updating them only when you\u2019re done<\/i> with fixing something or coming up with a solution isn\u2019t enough.<\/p>\n Try and keep them in the loop throughout the whole process and all developments:<\/p>\n In any other situation, too much communication is generally seen as annoying. When you\u2019re solving a problem, especially if it\u2019s a big one, a lot of communication is appreciated.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to follow up in all channels. If you start a private conversation about a public issue, go back to it later and mention the solution there.<\/p>\n This way, if anyone finds it while looking for reviews, they\u2019ll see it has been resolved.<\/p>\n There\u2019s almost always more to a complaint than it initially seems to complain. Ask specifying questions about every piece of negative customer feedback.<\/p>\n Sometimes, people can perceive being asked questions as an attack. They might think you\u2019re doubting their issue, or don\u2019t believe them.<\/p>\n Explain that the questions are to specify the details of an issue and get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n Ask your customers to be part of the solution, and don’t view them as part of the problem<\/a><\/span>\u2014Alan Weiss<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Remember\u2014it\u2019s not you versus the customer. It\u2019s both of you versus the issue. Let your customers know that they\u2019re a part of the solution, and a tremendous help.<\/p>\n You might think that you know what a customer is talking or complaining about before they even say much. You\u2019ve heard it before\u2014you know what\u2019s coming next. We\u2019ve all seen these \u201ctypical\u201d issues.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to cut them off before they can really finish talking (or writing).<\/p>\n Here are the issues with cutting your customers off:<\/p>\n Always fight the urge to not hear the customer out fully. It\u2019s easy enough to smile and nod until they\u2019re completely<\/i> done.<\/p>\n Besides giving you all the information and reducing time spent on firing questions back and forth, listening will calm them down. Being really listened to reassures them that you really are paying attention.<\/p>\n As we mentioned before, angry people expect responses fast. They don\u2019t want to spend extra time on reciting answers to questions you should already know.<\/p>\n Before you reply, look into the customer and their history:<\/p>\n According to a survey by Microsoft, most customers actually expect<\/i> you to be aware of their background before talking to you:<\/p>\n Don\u2019t treat your customers like random people. They\u2019ve trusted you with their business. You owe them the effort of looking into their individual details so they don\u2019t have to deal with it.<\/p>\n Consistency is incredibly important when dealing with upset customers. Issues usually arise when there\u2019s several people involved in the communication.<\/p>\n If the initial responder is nice, understanding, and detailed, and the next one isn\u2019t, it\u2019s going to ruin the experience again.<\/p>\n Ideally, the whole company has the same, consolidated idea of how to talk the talk and walk the walk.<\/p>\n Not everyone has the time or resources to work on support guidelines. However, try to at least have a basic outline of how to act in complicated situations.<\/p>\nDon\u2019t treat public and private feedback differently<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/social-media-1024x601.jpg\")
\n![\"Negative](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-25-at-12.21.12-PM-1024x163.png\")
\n![\"Negative](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-25-at-12.30.02-PM-1024x311.png\")
Take the high road\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/1_G4AlraUC-i6RkMrAJ1mG7w-300x265.png\")
\nAdmit when you\u2019ve messed up<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"Admitting](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-25-at-1.33.22-PM-1024x736.png\")
<\/div>\nHave a sense of humor<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/angry-customer@2x-1024x658.jpg\")
Respond fast, but not too fast<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"Negative](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/United-Twitter.jpg\")
Always update and follow up<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-25-at-1.45.44-PM-1024x222.png\")
\n![\"Always](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-25-at-12.31.32-PM-1024x499.png\")
\nAsk questions<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-25-at-12.49.37-PM-1024x298.png\")
\nListen (<\/b>really<\/i> listen)<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/giphy-300x150.gif\")
\n\n
Personalize as much as possible<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/T-Mobile-1-768x763.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/Screen-Shot-2019-04-22-at-12.56.53-PM-1024x337.png\")
Create a customer support \u201cstyle guide\u201d to help with consistency<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/canny.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/giphy-1-300x169.gif\")
\n
![\"Canny](\"https:\/\/no-cache.hubspot.com\/cta\/default\/5705808\/e1d55d08-a2cf-44a3-a9a0-f3ca5ff21dfa.png\")
<\/a><\/span>