“What should an organization do when they find negative things being written about them online?”
If an organization should find negative things being written about them online, I think they should take immediate action to try and address the issue. I tend to agree with the philosophy that regardless of whatever is being written about someone or something, a response (good or bad) is better than none, or indifference. A company that is not receiving any feedback from the public should, on the other hand, be concerned.
Initially taking an analytical approach to what is being said may be helpful. Acknowledging the tone of whatever is being said by empathizing (but not necessarily agreeing) with their (whoever is writing the negative comments) frustrations, then getting at the core of what they are asking for is essential. People for the most part tend to get upset when their expectations are not being met. So people can only get upset with an organization if they have some sort of positive investment or expectation from them. So essentially, a negative reaction can be viewed as a good thing, or even an opportunity to be back on their good side (or even impress). Having an understanding of where an individual is coming from, and what they seem to hope to achieve by writing whatever they did can hopefully shed light on how to address their problem. Once a plan on how to address the issue has been established, a sincere response to whoever wrote the negative comments should be made. The response should thank the individual for taking the time to voice their concerns, express acknowledgement of their frustrations, and detail the steps the organization will be taking to address their concerns.
A few semesters ago, I researched and wrote a paper on how conflict can be a catalyst for positive change, and found a quote by poet William Ellery Channing which reads, “difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.” (Channing, W., 1895, p. 35). If an organization is only receiving positive feedback, there would be no ideas being put forth on how they could improve. Every interaction an organization has is essentially an opportunity to build positive relationships, improve themselves, and perhaps even showcase who they are, and what they stand for.
Reference:
Channing, W. (1895). The works of William E. Channing, D.D : With an introduction. Boston: American Unitarian Association.
You bring up some really good points regarding negative feedback and feedback in general.
ReplyDelete“Regardless of whatever is being written about someone or something, a response (good or bad) is better than none, or indifference. A company that is not receiving any feedback from the public should, on the other hand, be concerned.” I agree. Even negative feedback shows that people are interested; no feedback shows that they just don’t care. The fact that a company establishes a Facebook or Twitter account makes it a given in the public’s eye that the company is welcoming and even encouraging comments and interaction. So if the company then ignores customers’ comments and questions, i.e., shows indifference, customers are going to be disappointed to say the least, sometimes angry, or worse lose interest in the company and its products altogether.
“If an organization is only receiving positive feedback, there would be no ideas being put forth on how they could improve.” “A negative reaction can be viewed as a good thing, or even an opportunity to be back on their good side (or even impress).” There’s always room for improvement in any case. As hard as it is to hear that someone doesn’t like your product or service, if you’re receiving no negative feedback or constructive criticism, then you may not be hearing from a true and important representative portion of your constituents. It’s nice to get our egos stroked at times, but how much do we really learn from only positive remarks? Viewing negative comments as opportunities to improve is a good outlook to have when dealing with these kinds of situations.
“The response should thank the individual for taking the time to voice their concerns, express acknowledgement of their frustrations, and detail the steps the organization will be taking to address their concerns.” This is a definition of good customer service that any responsible company would follow for customer relations, whether in-store, by phone, or by email. So why not also follow these guidelines, especially in public view when online in Facebook, Twitter, etc.?
Thanks for your comments slisstudent! Yes, it's so true that the basics of customer service essentially remain the same regardless of medium. Although, I must admit that it is sometimes easier to interact with some individuals than others, it's about treating people the way you hope to be treated I suppose.
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