Social media sites have given companies ways to communicate with people like never before. You can ask your fans how they like your newest product and get instant feedback good and bad. The good comments are great, but how do you respond when a fan posts a terrible story of an experience they had with your company?

First and foremost, respond to the comment, quickly. The longer you let the comment go without response, the more people will add to it.

Treat the commenter with full respect. ALL feedback is good and you can learn a lot from people with negative experiences too.

Apologize if necessary and thank them for their comments. Show your readers that you value what they have to say about your company.

Ask for further feedback and log on often to respond to any further threads.

Every company will get negative feedback now and then. It’s how you handle the comments that show how you connect with your customers and fans.