An industry pro went on Facebook to find a "customer" writing negative comments on her company page — but they were never a customer to begin with! Should she speak up and defend herself or simply keep quiet? Industry pros share their insights:
THE QUESTION:
Paige Pruett-Wichern
Pruett's Pool and Spa | West Plains, Mo.
"What would you do if a 'customer' is publicly posting untrue comments about your company on Facebook?"
ANSWERS:
April Hasan
Backyard Resorts Pool, Patio & Hot Tub | Cambridge, Ontario
"If you literally do not know the client at all, just politely answer. Explain that this name does not show up in your database. Say you are sorry about the bad experience, but it is possible they are referring to another company, but you would be happy to see if you can help. If you know the person, state the truth. 'I am sorry to hear you are upset, however, we do not have a history of service with you. Contact our office as we would be happy to discuss.'"
Alex Ward
Sears Pool Management Consultants | Atlanta, Ga.
Note: Alex is an attorney but is affiliated with Sears Pool Management Consultants.
"If you have responded politely and she continues to post false reviews, send her one last stern message advising that if she fails to remove the false material, you may seek legal action for defamation. This is not official legal advice and, as with all legal matters, I recommend talking to an attorney versed in these matters."
Shannon Sellers
Jeff 's Pool & Spa | St. Marys, Ga.
"I've learned my lesson on this topic and never ever will I respond to a comment in a public forum on Facebook regarding someone bashing our company."
Shannon shares her story: "A couple years ago, I posted something on a public Facebook page, and not everyone liked what I posted. [Ed. note: Because the post was public, more people saw it than she intended.] These people started publicly bashing my company, even though we never did work for them. We were left with several negative reviews about our company on Google and Facebook in reference to my personal post."
Lenni Walton
Premier Pool Group | Mississauga, Ontario
"Confront her in a professional manner."
