Handled properly, responding to criticism online is more than customer service – it’s marketing, the Inc.com article “How to Deal With Customer Complaints Online” explains. With hundreds, or even thousands, watching your social media pages, you have the opportunity to put the right spin on a complaint and show the personal side of your business. All you have to remember is DND (do not delete) and LAST (listen, apologize, solve, thank).

Do not delete (DND). Never delete a complaint from your Facebook page or blog. That all but guarantees losing that customer, and wastes the opportunity to show the rest of your following that you’ll do anything to make a customer happy. Everyone makes mistakes, and most people will understand and be grateful if you’re willing to go above and beyond to compensate.

Listen, apologize, solve, thank (LAST)

1. Listen. First, you’ve got to pay attention. Actively review all your accounts and respond to comments and inquiries ASAP. The longer a complaint sits on your page unnoticed, the more clients will see it and make judgments based on it.
2. Apologize. Always. Even if you think the complaint is unfounded. Another tip: Actually saying “I’m sorry” is far more personal than saying “I apologize or “Our apologies.”)
3. Solve the problem. Offering to give refund their money, give them a free gift, or compensate them for their trouble is almost always worth the cost in the long run. It should not only appease the irked customer, but also show others your willingness to please.
4. Thank the customer. A complaint is really a gift, and should be treated as such. It gives you the chance to handle a problem before it costs you more customers. Thank them for bringing the problem to your attention, then take the appropriate steps to ensure that it won’t happen again.

Click here to read the article from Inc.com.