Customer Service 101: How not to respond to a negative Facebook review

After a less than stellar experience, my mom posted a negative review to a restaurant’s Facebook page. She rarely writes reviews, but this experience was bad enough for her to take the time to do it.

The restaurant replied the next day (along with a few others who wanted to join the party):


A few things happened here that I’d like to refer to as Customer Service 101: How not to respond to a negative Facebook review.
Do not be long-winded.
The biggest mistake the restaurant made was rambling on, while attempting to address every issue my mom raised. It took two screen grabs just to capture the whole thing. Keep it simple when it comes to negative reviews and take it offline as quickly as possible. A simple, “We’re sorry to hear about your negative experience. Will you please give us a call so we can learn more?” would have been much better.
Do not argue with the reviewer.
While I do not believe the customer is always right, I do believe arguing with an angry customer is always wrong. It only adds fuel to the fire.
Do not make the reviewer feel guilty.
This review doesn’t just impact the business, it impacts our employees who rely on us as their source of income to get through the winter.
So my mom is supposed to now feel guilty after spending $244+ on a terrible dinner? Guilt is never a good thing to make a customer feel when it comes to a high-end dining experience (or any high-end experience for that matter). And their “source of income” is certainly not my mom’s problem.
Do not circulate the situation.
Companies should seek to diffuse negative reviews as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, that didn’t exactly happen. Soon after the restaurant replied, the bartender at said restaurant, who oddly enough wasn’t even working that night, replied to my mom’s review to really air her true feelings.

While the bartender’s response was dramatic, unprofessional and a borderline attempt at character assassination, I think it solidifies the merit behind my mom’s review.
Do not get your friends to gang up.
The majority of the commentators on my mom’s review spoke up in defense of the restaurant.
After a five second Google search, we soon learned that, in addition to the bartender, two of commentators were wine distributors for the restaurant and another one was the owner’s sister. I’m going to go out on a limb and say those are pretty biased opinions. Having a group like that gang up on a reviewer speaks volumes about the professionalism of said restaurant.
I recommend keeping your friends (and wine distributors) away from your review page.
Handle the dirty work yourself. Because, ultimately, it’s your brand that’s at stake.
