This presentation was used as speaker support for a presentation to the California Patient Relations Association and is not intended to serve as a standalone document. I have added some text to image-only slides in order to provide context. Thanks to Paul Gillin and his excellent book, When Customers Attack, which served as one of the resources used in preparing this deck.

1. Turn Social Media Complaints
into a Stronger Reputation

2. Among the many reasons customers have taken
their complaints to social media is the frustration
with the ineffectiveness of call centers.

3. “
“The beauty of the Internet age is that you don’t have to take it any
more. You’re no longer just screaming into the dark” – Bob Garfield

4. Social media is a better way
to communicate with organizations
-- 65% of customers

5. Why do people complain via social media
about hospital experiences?
80%: Prevent a repeat
65%: Explanation
41%: Apology
7%: Compensation

6. Only 1 in 25 aggrieved customers
actually SPEAKS UP

7. Why value this guy?
• He’s trying to help
• He influences others
• He’s an early warning signal

8. Types of Complainers
• Casual Complainers
– Irritated by an isolated bad experience
– Cite policies, but don’t just protect the
organization
• Extortionists
– Motivated by gain
– Consider the precedent
– Move conversation offline
– Cite consequences of following
through with threats

9. Types of Complainers
• Committed Crusaders
– Motivated by a higher calling
– Smart, cool and savvy with tools
– Treat with respect
– Ask:
• What do they want?
• What will they accept?
• What is the opportunity
cost of making them go away?
• Can you live with the pain?

10. Types of Complainers
• Indignant Influencers
– Have a following
– Complaint can generate conversation
– Can abandon campaign if…
• Offered a reasonable explanation
• The organization apologizes
• Offered a reasonable make-good

11. Another perspective
• 37% Voicers
Eager to help
• 14% Passives
Suffer in silence
• 21% Irates
Complain to each other
• 28% Activists
Want revenge

12. Be Proactive
Other than that, don’t delete comments.

13. 7 Steps to Complaint Resolution
1. Thank the complainer
2. Explain why you appreciate the feedback
3. Apologize for the mistake
4. Take responsibility and promise to do
something right away
5. Ask for necessary information
6. Take swift action
7. Prevent future mistakes

15. The expectation of engagement
• You’ll be there to answer our questions and
solve our problems
• You’ll talk with us about what interests us
• You’ll listen to our thoughts about your
products and services
• You’ll help us connect with one another
• You’ll make it easy for us to take action

17. Readers of bad reviews will be influenced by what they read.

18. They will also be influenced by how the organization responds.

19. In the absence of a response, readers have only
the experience of the patient on which to make a judgment.

20. A good example
of how to handle
a complaint
delivered via
a social media
channel.

21. The Mayo Clinic’s response to a campaign on its Facebook page was handled
deftly and professionally.

23. Who Do Consumers Trust Most?

24. You have to address
the perception held
by some leaders that
social media is a
waste of time.

25. Staff as Ambassadors
• Have a policy
• Train everybody
• Engage your SMEs

27. What Companies
Experiencing Crises Lacked

28. Three monitoring approaches
• Analytics services
– Very expensive
• Monitoring services
– Moderately priced
• DIY
– Cost = your time

30. If you have the resources, a monitoring command center is a valuable tool.

31. Shel Holtz, ABC
www.holtz.com
shel@holtz.com
@shelholtz
415.881.7435
Q&A