Should You Delete Negative Reviews?

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If you have ever managed social media platforms for businesses, especially retail companies, then you know that reviews are a major part of your day to day work. Of course, when you receive a Facebook comment stating how much they love the company you are managing, it is easy to like the post and respond with a thank you. With that in mind, what do you do when people comment, message, and post negative reviews?

When it comes to situations like this, the social media manager needs to speak with the rest of the company they are managing to ensure the expectations are understood. No matter how amazing a company is, negative comments and reviews are going to happen. The key is not to freak out and view this situation as a total negative. As the social media manager, it is your job to explain how social media works to the rest of the company. Do you think providing a negative reviewer with a calming comment, stating that they will get to the bottom of the situation, would help assuage their anger?

The fact is that it is not difficult to take a negative comment and flip it into a very positive experience for the whole social media world to see. If you can respond to an individual and help them with their customer service concerns, they will gain trust in you and will then be more likely to shop with you in the future. Unfortunately, many companies panic whenever anything negative does happen. As the social media manager, you may be asked to delete comments, hide comments, block users, or restrict comments. There is a delicate balance the social media manager must navigate to keep the client happy while also making sure the brand is trusted and respected.

Of course, there will be some situations where blocking or restricting is necessary. Trolling is a major issue for brands, and many users will also use inappropriate language. If that does happen, then muting or blocking may be the best decision. But, always remember, customer service is about treating the customer with respect and helping them with their problem. Social media is the perfect way to help individuals out, so always remember to put them first while still finding a solution to keep your client happy.

What about you? Do you have any interesting customer service stories on social media that are interesting? Let us know here on Twitter!