Complaint or crisis?
- One unhappy customer
- Stays in one thread
- Fixed with a good reply
- Normal part of business
- Many people involved
- Spreads across posts and sites
- Needs a coordinated response
- Threatens trust broadly
The first hour
- PauseStop scheduled posts and ads.
- AssessFind out what happened and who it affects.
- AcknowledgePost a short, honest holding statement.
- UpdateShare facts as you confirm them.
A holding statement can be simple. "We are aware of the issue and are looking into it now. We will post an update here today." Silence often reads as guilt or indifference.
If someone hacks your account
Use the platform's recovery tools right away, like facebook.com/hacked for Facebook accounts. Warn followers from another channel not to click strange links. Afterwards, turn on two-factor login for every admin.
Prepare before it happens
- Keep a contact list of who decides and who speaks.
- Write holding statements for the most likely problems.
- Keep two admins with two-factor login on every account.
- Never delete criticism or post fake reviews to hide it.
Good example. A restaurant faces a viral food safety post. It pauses ads, posts a statement within the hour and shares the inspection result the next day.
Bad example. A restaurant deletes the comments and posts a cheerful promo. Screenshots of the deleted comments spread further.
For single complaints, see handling negative comments. Our social media marketing keeps crisis plans ready for clients.