3 Steps to Dealing with Negative Publicity

At one point or another, every business is going to have to deal with an unsatisfied customer. Even when striving for unbeatable customer service, there is going to be one person you just can't please. As everything is now online, most unhappy customers turn to the internet to post their negative reviews or poor experience with a company. Dealing with negative publicity is a nightmare, but basically, it's inevitable.

Many business owners feel that if they ignore the negative PR, it will simply go away. Not true. When you leave issues unresolved with your customers, it makes other costumers feel as though you don't care about them. By not dealing with negative publicity, you're hurting your brand loyalty and overall image as a company.

Handling negative pr is very important, and although the issue may seem very complex, there are 3 simple steps you can take to begin resolving the issue.

Don't Ignore the Issue
Most customers feel their needs weren't met and their voice wasn't heard by a company when there has been an issue, which is often the driving force behind their negative review or comment. If you ignore them, you're only strengthening their belief that your business doesn't care about their customers. You need to reach out and contact the customer who had a poor experience.

Admit to Any Wrongdoing
Next, you need to try to make amends with the customer after listening to their concerns. Admit to any wrongdoing that may have occurred on your behalf and take the steps needed to fix their issue. By admitting to your mistake, it will show you're a trustworthy company. You aren't just trying to make the problem go away.

Find Supporters
If all else fails, enlist a little bit of help. Find satisfied customers to speak on your behalf. If customers see the support you've gained from previous customers, that one negative review or comment isn't going to matter too much.

Dealing with negative publicity can be tricky, but it's something you need to address. The concept of "ignore it and it will go away" won't serve your company any benefits.

What steps do you take for handling negative PR?


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