Most people who complain via social media simply want validation of their experience, says Andrea Parrish, digital marketing assistant manager for STCU in Spokane, Wash.
Providing that validation can turn a negative interaction into something more positive, she told 2019 CUNA Marketing & Business Development Council Conference attendees Friday in Las Vegas.
“If you validate someone’s experience, you’re helping them because they’re not feeling defensive,” Parrish says. “When they post, they feel they have a reason to complain. If you validate rather than argue, you can change the conversation.”
Addressing complaints also provides a chance to see how the credit union failed to meet members’ expectations and improve service in the future.
Still, it’s hard to deal with negative comments. “When you’re in an emotional situation and you feel you need to defend your credit union, it’s easy to get sucked into a conversation you shouldn’t be having,” Parrish says.
Her approach to addressing negative comments:
More than one-third of consumers cite social media as their service channel of choice, Parrish says.
“If you’re not responding, then you’re not meeting them where they are.”
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