Last week, the fast-food chain Wendy’s received a negative review on twitter. A user accused Wendy’s of lying about its “fresh, never frozen” beef used in its hamburgers. The user subsequently said that McDonald’s served a better breakfast. Wendy’s social media manager Amy Brown then replied in a spontaneous and witty tweet, “You don’t have to bring them into this just because you forgot refrigerators existed for a second there.”

Unsurprisingly, this sort of politically incorrect reply got the internet’s attention, which is absolutely great for publicity! After all, any kind of publicity is always good. So today’s post is on 5 ways to deal with bad feedback in a badass way like Wendy’s.

Method #1: Consider your industry.

Interesting, spontaneous style of responses probably works for companies using social media in the F&B industry. Competition in the F&B industry is tough, so there is great value in standing out. The cost of offending a twitter user who hates Wendy’s brand is also relatively small, so this method of response probably works. Being witty always creates a great impression on the minds of people.

However, if you are in a more “serious” industry, then it might be wise not to use this tone and style of reply. Rather, stick to a more politically-correct tone because the brand image is more sombre.

Method #2: Don’t be afraid to be badass.

Sometimes the clever use of sarcasm or insult can make an impression on someone. Wendy’s twitter is consistently filled with surprises and witty replies that keeps the audience engaged.

There was even one tweet when a follower asked “Is Wendy single?” The reply he received was– “No, Wendy’s a restaurant.”

Therefore, don’t be afraid to be badass! A badass-style done right can make your brand more memorable.

Method #3: Be spontaneous!

Have fun being spontaneous on your social media accounts, instead of following too many rules too strictly! For when you do, there is a chance that you might come across as fake. Sometimes the speed and flow of response are even more important than the content itself. A creative social media manager will be able to respond in a way that suits the context best.

Method #4: Hire the right social media manager.

It is always important to hire the right social manager. Here, it can be wise to examine the social media manager’s past track record on previous social media channels. Check for tone, content, and the general “feel” of responding to criticisms.

It might also be wise to hire a social media manager who can adopt a various tone of voice with ease. The key here however is consistency. If digital natives remember the social media person as being funny on one platform and being serious on another, they might end up confused.

Method #5: Remember that great brands will always polarise.

Wendy’s way of response is the perfect example that great brands will always polarize. By definition, a great brand is one that sparks strong emotions in its consumers. So why care about your haters? They will never become your consumers anyway.

Therefore, troll them. And while you are at that, don’t stop! Troll your competitors too.

For example, Wendy’s twitter made national news again last year over this twitter conversation:

• Random follower: “what is better than Burger King’s ‘five for $4 deal’?”
• Wendy’s social media manager: “Edible food.”

Now, that is some great way to attract earned media. Who would have expected this?

We hope you have enjoyed today’s post on the 5 ways to deal with bad reviews like Wendy’s! Have a great day ahead. 🙂