Should I respond to people criticising our business on Twitter? – StartupSmart

Twitter is a fantastic tool for us but I’ve noticed that some people go on there and bag our business. Should we engage with these people or leave them to it?

There is an unwritten rule in PR that you should respond to a criticism or complaint through the medium in which you were exposed to it.

So yes, I would say it’s best to respond to people being rude about your business directly.

However, that said, sometimes in the world there are ‘dickheads’, and ‘dickheads’, are not reasonable or responsible.

So if you reply to people who bag out your business, and you do your best to hear their complaint and/or rectify the situation, and the person still ‘bags your business’, then there is a chance you’re dealing with a ‘dickhead’.

Dickheads should be ignored.

That said by and large I am a firm believer that a complaint is a gift. It’s someone alerting you that something is not right in your business and should be addressed.

Therefore the person who has identified this should be thanked and encouraged for helping your business be the best it can be.

Look at the advantages that the criticism can provide to your business, rather than just the negative hurt feelings. Use the criticism to improve and move forward.