BITE SIZE SOCIAL MEDIA: Take a deep breath and count to ten

Bite Size Social Media: Take a deep breath and count to ten

I’m kicking off this series of bite size social media tips with this because it came up in a meeting with a client last night, and struck a bit of a nerve. This client had recently delivered on a difficult and low-profit project. Two weeks after delivery an email arrived from the client stating that they would not be paying as they’d decided that neither the content or quality was up to scratch.

Cutting a long story short the email infuriated my client (and her blood began to reboil as she told the tale). The criticisms were unfair, the goalposts moved after delivery, the tone was rude and having read the email (and read the brief, seen the product, read all email chains etc) I completely understood her anger.

As soon as she had digested the email, she began to type – still flushed with rage – and her anger flowed out of her fingers. By the time she got to the end, and was about to hit send she took a deep breath… and deleted her response… phew!

We all get cross when we perceive injustice, but need to exercise our self control (taking a few deep breaths really does help). You could just fly off the handle and crossly engage your critics, but this kind of online spat is good for nobody… least of all your company and its hard earned reputation. You’ll definitely lose one customer and more likely lose many more as your email spat gets published publicly (and please step away from the Twitter if it is a tweet that’s wound you up). Acknowledging the complaint politely, and attempting to appease should be your default course of action… but first, count to ten, take a deep breath and repeat to yourself 10 times “Reputation Management”

Rhys