Angry SingTel Subscriber on Fan Page (And His Post Is Viral)

A SingTel subscriber lamented on the Telco’s fan page. It hit a raw nerve as it seems to garner 12,000+ likes and more than 1000 comments at time of writing.

I expect SingTel’s experience on social media to greatly affect how companies view this platform as a conduit for immediate feedback. This is exactly the type of transparency companies need to have to receive real feedback to their company. However, there are great challenges that lies ahead when emotive language is used to attack without any prior information.

How does one cool the angry crowd then?

1) A long term plan is through continuous education of the investment SingTel made instead of giving information when there is a complaint. Pre-emptive education sets an expectation for the consumer that work is in progress. No one likes to discover new things when they are angry.

2) The immediate way to deal with negative comments is to allay their worries. Starting with “Im sorry” and ending with “Thank You” is often a good start to manage the emotions on the thread. You can read more about it here.

3) Never delete posts. Deleting posts actually gives a reason for people to get even angrier. Even though sometimes there are tendencies to delete posts that does not add any value, it is paramount to note that people are watching a brand’s action furtively. One mis-step and it’s another fodder for complaints.

What do you think SingTel should do? Leave your comment below on 3 action steps that SingTel can take.