Anyone who has dealt with online attacks on
either their own or their business’ reputation knows how unpleasant it can
be—especially when the criticism is disproportionate, inaccurate, or unfair.
You may feel inclined to respond to unflattering comments and reviews on your
own, to set the record straight. But you’re still busy trying to keep the
day-to-day operations of your business running smoothly, and realistically, you
just don’t have time to answer every critic. Worse, you know that what gets
written online stays online for a long time.
So, what should you do when you’re being trashed
on the web? How can you salvage your reputation from haters with seemingly
unlimited time on their hands?
Prioritize
the most prominent or most commonly recurring negative opinions
You may find that many commenters are
highlighting similar themes in their negative reviews. Maybe they’ve all had a
comparable experience, or maybe they’ve been influenced by a particularly outspoken
seed-planter. Regardless, you’ll save yourself valuable time and energy by
locating the original or most prominent exponent of a particular derogatory
view. Address that person directly, and try to be diplomatic if you reasonably
can.
If a misconception about you or your business is
very prevalent in public discourse, or there is a significant issue affecting
your organization that requires explanation or clarification, an open letter or
public announcement would be more effective than trying to address individuals’
concerns one at a time.
Resist
the knee-jerk temptation to become defensive
Defensiveness is a natural reaction when one
feels under attack. But a defensive tone can easily invite escalation. Many
disgruntled-sounding customers will become more reasonable and even-handed once
they’ve calmed down. By contrast, the more heated and argumentative an online
discussion gets, the lower the probability of a mutually satisfactory outcome.
A good first step in many cases is to express
regret over the unpleasant experience the complainer has had—“I’m sorry that
this happened to you.”
Often, you’ll find it’s not difficult to
identify the source of the individual’s discontent and possible solutions.
Try to
set things right
Does the complainer have a legitimate gripe? Did
you or your company do something that caused offense or dissatisfaction? Can
the problem be rectified, or at least mitigated? Was it within your control?
Be honest with yourself as you contemplate these
questions, and think about ways that you can offer a legitimately dissatisfied
customer, client, or stakeholder some consolation. Would a partial or total
refund be appropriate? Or a free session or product?
Don’t
waste time on lewd or scurrilous comments
You’ve undoubtedly come across the phrase “Don’t
feed the trolls”. Indeed, not all critics
are fair, civil, or reasonable, and it’s okay to be discerning about the
ones you choose to engage.
Online harassment remains a very serious problem
in our society, and the ability to offer opinions anonymously online brings out
the worst in certain people. Unfortunately, even in 2016, women and girls in
the public eye are still regularly subjected to degrading, misogynistic
diatribes. Abusive language and character assassination aren’t justified by any
error or misjudgement on your part, and you needn’t feel obliged to put up with
such behaviour.
Online fora and social media platforms typically
have content management policies, including harassment protocols. If someone is
either harassing you directly or spreading hateful innuendo about you or your
organization, don’t hesitate to report it to the site’s administrators.
Keep your
eye on the ball
While you can’t always dissuade people from
making negative comments about you or your business, you can focus on your
present and future clients and customers. If you continually learn from your
mistakes and do your job responsibly and effectively, you should receive plenty
of positive reviews to offset the nasty ones—especially if you make a point of
soliciting and incentivizing feedback.
