Throughout the process of running a business, there will come a time when the company will be faced with positive or negative reviews. During the age of social media, it is inevitable. In the instance this does happen to a company, it is in their best interest to respond to all comments. This includes both positive and negative comments. Their responses are divided into two categories: proactive and defensive.
Proactive Responses
What does it mean to be proactive with a response? When a customer sends a company a positive or negative response, being proactive is being sure to reach out regardless of what they say. If the response is positive, simply responding and thanking the customer for their feedback gains their respect and trust. It goes a long way to reassure your customers that what they have to say matters. Negative comments should always receive a response. The business should also reach out to the customer for additional information.
In this instance, spotify was being proactive by responding with their “SpotifyCares” account. They provided the customer with the information they desired. Also, they assured the customer that they can reach out for any other questions they may have. This is a great example of proactive responding from a business via social media.
Defensive Responses
Now that we know what a proactive response is, what is a defensive response? Well, rather than focusing on what would benefit the customer, the company is focused on responding in a way that will protect their company/business. Defensive responses are usually the result of a negative comment, review, or response. Sometimes a business might not know how to properly respond to negative feedback, resulting in the defensive tone.
In this example, a business has just received a somewhat negative comment regarding the amount of outlets in their business location. Instead of apologizing for the inconvenience or reaching out for further information, the company was clearly on the defensive. Dark Horse Espresso was focused on protecting the business image and their practices location. They should have addressed the customer’s remarks and concerns instead.