Before any action is taken, evaluating your comfort level with replacing the word “react” with “respond” may reveal that some attention provided to the attitude behind your action will be beneficial. As an action starting point, the question “How would I respond to this if the comment had been made in person” may be valuable. The point being, that the feedback was left on social media should be taken out of the equation and therewith eliminating the potential for responding as if you are anonymous and for the conversation to become depersonalized. Secondly, the question “what is my goal in responding?” may be of value. The answer may include multiple goals such as:

• Saving and improving a relationship with the person offering the review
• Protecting your organization's reputation
• Learning more about the circumstance the proceeded the negative feedback
• Receiving the information necessary to correct a challenge in your organization’s processes.

A goal that should be questioned if it surfaces is:

• To prove the reviewer wrong and to win an argument

Once the goal(s) of the response is determined, next steps might include:

• Creating a draft of a response
• Start the draft with an apology for the negative experience and gratitude for the opportunity to respond to, and learn from, the feedback
• Take full responsibility for the circumstance being reviewed
• End the draft with an apology for the negative experience and an invitation to any questions the reviewer may have. Consider offering the reviewer a form of compensation for the experience and for taking the time to let you know about it.
• Evaluate the draft and optimize it to meet the goals
• Ask a team member read the response and provide feedback.

In our business(es) our responses often include: “We are very sorry for the disappointment that resulted from ...please feel assured that we will use your feedback to improve our…”