Managing Issues on Social Media
Social media allows for two-way conversation. People voice their thoughts and opinions on blogs, spend hours on Facebook and Twitter, and mobile devices allow people to upload content from anywhere.
And – Social media moves fast. While this is something your business can capitalize on—resharing those real-time, positive experiences from users who’ve tagged you—this also brings less positive issues to light faster and gives them the opportunity to spread. For that reason, as a business, being on top of your social media channels is crucial. Your social media channels are an extension of your brand, and many people consider a business’ social media platforms to be the easiest and most effective way to get through to them. There are three ways to approach a negative comment or feedback on your social media page, depending on the severity of the situation:
About This Article
Reading time: ~8 mins
Learning Type: Article
Tip: Stay up-to-date on news headlines around the world and across Canada, especially when current affairs impact BC. Knowing what the media and public are talking about can help you address online issues.
Tip: If a natural disaster, public health emergency, or other large-scale event occurs in BC, or globally:
- Familiarize yourself with and share information from official sources only. There are a variety of resources available to help you prepare for emergencies, gather up-to-date information, and help visitors plan their travel.
- Review any scheduled posts –could content be considered inappropriate or insensitive during this time? If so, remove or reschedule it to a later date and update your team.
- Do not post content to or participate in any conversation about the incident on a hashtag or platform.
If the issue involves your business directly:
1) Escalate:
- Assess the situation on your own, or with your social media team if you have one. Ask yourselves:
Is the comment public or is it a private message? Is it a new topic or issue?
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- Look into it, quickly.
- Respond – Acknowledge the issue and empathize to diffuse the situation, keeping your response short and sweet.
OR is it an issue that comes up from time to time?
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- Respond as soon as possible by acknowledging the issue and empathizing with your guest, keeping your response short and sweet..
- Create a template response that you can refer to if the issue comes up again.
Is the topic serious, like a health or safety concern? (e.g. “My husband ate at the hotel restaurant yesterday and there was shrimp in his meal. He’s allergic and has been in the hospital since.”)
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- Escalate immediately to the appropriate manager.
- Respond as soon as possible by acknowledging the issue and empathizing with your guest, keeping your response short and sweet.
Is the issue not particularly serious, but still brand-damaging? (e.g. “I’ve been trying to reach the front desk all day and no answer!”)
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- Respond as soon as possible by acknowledging the issue and empathizing with your guest, keeping your response short and sweet.
2) Respond:
- Apologize to the user online for the inconvenience or that their experience wasn’t up to standard. Acknowledging their experience and extending empathy is key.
- If you are responding to a heated complaint, avoid answering in the moment. Consider having someone else review your response before you send it, to confirm that the tone is appropriate. Having an established “Review Buddy” is a good practice and can save you from escalating the concern with your response.
- Take it offline. Ask them to direct message (DM) your account with their contact information and more information about their experience or issue and provide contact information including the name of a staff person, if possible. This way, the conversation will take place privately and one-on-one, not publicly for all your followers to see.
- Look for ways to improve. Negative feedback can be an opportunity to improve your business and customer service delivery.
TIP: If you have a heated complaint and need to respond consider having someone else review your post first to ensure the tone is appropriate.
If the issue has nothing to do with your business, but another business or industry:
1) Respond!
- Acknowledge the individual’s concerns.
- Redirect the individual to the appropriate outlet for their comments (e.g. the correct business, industry head, and/or association). The comment may be factual and require a response, but only from the business or industry that should respond.
If the issue has nothing to do with your business or any other business or industry, but is related to political or current affairs:
1) Respond!
- Acknowledge the individual’s concerns.
- Redirect them to the right person or account:
- “Please visit the Province of BC website for more information.” (and provide the necessary link).
- “You may find more information by visiting…”
2) If it is health and safety related (e.g., “I’m concerned about the recent wildfires affecting air quality in BC, is it safe to visit?”), ensure that your response:
- Ensure that your response confirms that your destination takes health and safety seriously. Redirect them to government-mandated documents and policies.
3) Monitor your feeds closely for any other related conversation.
4) Assess if you should report the comment to your direct supervisor and/or “hide” this comment from other users.
Appropriate times to hide a comment include:
- When the comment is of political nature but has nothing to do with your brand or business.
- When the comment is complaining about something unrelated to your business or industry.
Still not sure how to respond?
Crafting a Response
After deciding if the comment warrants a response or not, here is how you can go about crafting a response:
Acknowledge the comment or concern.
- “Thank you for sharing your concerns regarding…”
- “We understand your frustrations…”
Address your business’ perspective on the matter, even if it is admitting your own wrongdoing.
- “We believe that ____”
- “(Our Business) strives to … Clearly we have made a mistake”
Ask the commenter for more details about their experience so you can determine the proper course of action, or – if you have enough information – collect their contact information:
- “Can you tell us more about what happened? Please DM us.”
- “We’d like to have someone contact you directly, please DM us your full name, email, and phone number.”
Depending on the scenario, invite them back to your business.
- “We hope to serve you in the near future.”
- “We look forward to seeing you again soon.”
If the issue isn’t solvable by your business or brand, redirect the user to the right person or account.
- “Please visit the Province of BC website for more information.” and provide the necessary link.
- “You may find more information by visiting…
Address how your business is responding OR how that person can take further action if your business cannot do anything about it.
- “We believe that ____”
- “(Your Business) strives to … Clearly we have made a mistake.”
Address how your business is responding OR how that person can take further action if your business cannot do anything about it.
- “We would encourage you to contact us, as we can…”
- “We plan to…”
Depending on the scenario, invite them back to your business.
- “We hope to serve you in the near future.”
- “We look forward to seeing you again soon.”
Although social media can warrant some unwanted comments or posts, these can be taken as learning opportunities to help better your business. And in the end, you can turn a negative situation into a positive.
Regularly analyzing feedback on social media platforms is vital for improving visitor experiences. By monitoring comments, reviews, and messages, your brand can pinpoint areas for enhancement and address recurring issues. This proactive approach demonstrates responsiveness and fosters trust with visitors. Insights gleaned from this analysis enable your brand to tailor services and communication strategies, resulting in more positive and memorable experiences
Last updated: August, 2025
