Take a breath and follow this advice:
- Don’t ignore it.
- Don’t deny that there was an issue.
- Don’t argue with an upset customer online.
- Don’t pay to have it removed or have someone write a fake review to counter the bad one.
- Do respond—professionally and with tact—no matter how infuriated you may feel. Handling it well from the start can save face, time and a lot of headache for both parties
- Do apologize (even if it hurts a little) and do what it takes to make it right. Provide a direct line of communication, so customers can get personalized attention, and you can get the conversation offline and out of public view.
No matter how customer-centric you are, unhappy customers are an inevitable reality for every business. And although unpleasant, these issues can be eye-opening. They may reveal blind spots in service or where improvements can be made—a true silver lining take away after a stormy experience.
