Despite a business's best intentions, sometimes you will end up with a client or employee who does not leave on a good note. A situation like this usually doesn't go beyond hurt feelings but in some cases, the level of angst may go beyond a few choice words and turn into a situation where one angry person can threaten your online business presence. Are there steps that can be taken in situations like this? Yes, there are. Let's discuss them.
Taking it Offline:
We constantly talk about the act of taking bad reviews or feedback offline and this is something that still hasn't changed. To be clear, this doesn't mean outright deleting bad reviews or comments (more on that later). Anger can quickly be diffused by being reasonable with someone and that is best done with a face to face meeting or discussion over the phone. Text-based conversations lack the nuance or background information that traditional conversations have and can easily be misinterpreted. This is why we tell our clients to ask to speak with them in person. This ends the conversation online and starts a new one in person which usually leads to a resolved conflict. Afterward, you might even ask them to change their review to a more positive one, leaving a comment on how you worked to resolve this situation for them.
The Final Solution:
There may be times that even taking it offline does not work and this person is now determined to let their negative experience ( even if it was their fault the experience was negative) be known. They leave a bad review, create a fake account and leave another bad review. They get their friends (real or online) and have them unleash a storm of negative feedback, plunging your business page's positive rating. They might even begin attacking other commenters or your staff members leaving angry, rude or sometimes threatening messages. If this is something that is happening or something that you feel is in danger of happening, there is one final solution that can be taken.
Facebook business pages give admins the option to block certain individuals from interacting with the page. This means not being able to comment, leave reviews or see what is being posted. As stated before we recommend actively trying to find a solution to a situation before starting this tactic, however, if it becomes necessary to save your business, your employees and your customers from harm or verbal abuse, here is what you can do.
How to Block Someone from a Facebook Business Page:
1. Click on your business name from the drop-down menu beneath the arrow on the menu bar of your Facebook business page. Click on the "Show" button on the business page to open the Admin Panel.
2. Click the "See All" option in the New Likes section to view the list of people who currently like your business page.
3. Click the "X" next to the name of the person you want to block. Select the "Ban Permanently" checkbox on the Remove confirmation box and follow up by clicking "Ok" to remove and block that person from your page.
4. Click the "Hide" button to close the Admin Panel. You are now done.
How to Block Someone's Timeline Post
1. Click the "X" icon near the person's name on a message they posted on the page.
2. Choose "Delete" from the drop-down menu.
3. Click "Delete and Ban User" to remove the post from the business page and block the person from the page. You are now done.
How to Block Someone's Comment on a Post
1. Go to the negative comment the person made on any post on your business timeline.
2. Click the "X" that appears to the right of the post. A message stating, "You've Hidden This Comment So Only The Person Who Wrote It And Their Friends Can See It. Undo This Or Delete This Comment" appears.
3. Click "Delete This Comment."
4. Click the "Ban (User Name)" link in the line that states "You Can Also Report It as Abusive, or Ban (User Name)." This is an especially essential step when it comes to someone who is leaving abusive comments to clients or staff members.
Viewing the list of Banned Users
You can view a list of banned users from the admin panel.
1. Click "See All" in the New Likes section and choose "Banned" in the People Who Like This list drop-down menu.
2. Let's say you've blocked someone by accident or resolved a situation with someone. Click "Unban" if you want to allow the person to access your page once more.
Conclusion:
Banning someone is something that shouldn't be taken lightly nor should it be the first option someone considers when running into a conflict with someone on social media. However, if this person is causing enough of a disruption it's affecting the well being of your customers and employees, this is a necessary step to keep the peace of mind of everyone else on your page. Being safe and keeping business efficient is one of the essential steps to any successful business, and this extends online just as much as it does in the real world.
If you have any more questions regarding how to maintain a healthy and safe online presence for your business, please reach out to me at kyle@jm2marketing.com. I'd love to hear from you.