Posting a Complaint on Social Media: Our Top 10 Tips

By Daniel Bortz
July 3, 2019
Social Media Icons on Smartphone
Bigtunaonline/Dreamstime
Here’s how to voice your concerns so that you get an effective response.

We’ve all been there: You’re at the airport getting ready to embark on a vacation, only to find out your flight has been delayed three hours. Or, you’re trying to check into a hotel but the front desk can’t find your reservation. Before you panic or flip out, though, consider lodging a complaint on social media.

Nearly half (46%) of consumers have used social media to “call out” or complain about a business, according to a recent survey by Sprout Social, which sells social media tracking software for businesses. The bad news? Only about one in 10 messages to companies on social media receive a response.

Don’t let your complaint to get lost in the vacuum. Take these steps to make sure your voice is heard and get the results you’re looking for.

Be specific

Don’t just say that you’re “having a problem” or “need assistance”—provide specific information explaining what the issue is. How many days was your luggage lost by the airline? Were there stain-covered carpets or cockroaches in your hotel room? Why did the rental car break down? These kinds of details provide customer service professionals with context.

The caveat: Social media isn't always the right place for consumers to go when they have complex issues, like when they miss a flight because someone is sick.

Use relevant hashtags to gain traction

Weave appropriate hashtags into your Facebook or Twitter post to increase exposure. See what’s trending: If a lot of other flyers are tweeting #JetBlueFail, for instance, follow their lead.

Mind your appearance

To increase the likelihood of receiving a response, your own social account has to look professional. On Twitter, for example, if you don’t have a bio or you’ve never tweeted before, the company might think you’re account is fake. Having a professional looking profile picture can also affect your response rate. Read: complaining from an account that has a custom photo—say, a simple headshot of yourself—is more effective than complaining from a Twitter account with the default egg or from a Facebook account with a gray-and-white silhouette.

Tweet at the right account

Check to see if the business you’re targeting has a social media account that’s dedicated to supporting customer service (e.g., @ASOS_HeretoHelp and @comcastcares). Indeed, more than one third of top brands have a Twitter handle they use to directly support complaints, according to social analytics firm Simply Measured.

However, make sure the company is actively using the account. Hootsuite, a social media management tool, has a @Hootsuite_Help Twitter account, but its last tweet was on November 28, 2018.

Don’t be afraid to write more than one message

If you don’t receive a response, don’t give up. In fact, lodging multiple messages for the same complaint may help you receive a response. The more you gripe, the more likely it is that other customers will see your complaint—and no business wants to have a bad reputation. In fact, about 74% of millennial Twitter users said they would be less likely to buy from a brand that has negative comments from other consumers on social media platforms, a recent survey from Twitter and enterprise social technology company Sprinklr found.

Think about timing

Though some companies check their social media accounts and respond to complaints around the clock, other businesses are only monitoring their accounts during regular business hours. By posting your complaint within that window, you may be more likely to receive a response. Another pro tip: don’t lodge a complaint on social media during a holiday expecting a timely response.

Leave a Facebook review

Worried that the company will just delete your complaint and erase all evidence that you have an issue? Fortunately for consumers, companies can’t remove reviews on Facebook that customers wrote if they’re truthful. This can give customers bargaining power—for instance, by offering to delete your own review when the business resolves your issue, you’ll be in a much stronger position.

Stay calm

No matter how frustrated you get, the last thing you want to do is go on a tirade against a company on social media. It’s like berating a customer service agent on the phone—you’ll probably get nowhere, and the employee may have been able to assist you had you kept a cool head. So, avoid using expletives, put downs, or sarcasm when writing your complaint.

Avoid posting personal information

Don’t publicly share your phone number, email address, or account information in messages to companies on social media. If you do, you could be exposing yourself to spammers or potentially even hackers.

Be clear about what you want

Ask yourself what your goal is. Are you looking for a full refund? Do you want a free upgrade to first class on your next flight? Knowing what your end game is—and articulating it clearly in your message—is crucial.

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Travel Tips

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"Most countries will not expect you to be an expert on the nuances of their culture, but they will appreciate a show of interest in matters of importance to them." Taking your usual gregarious behavior down a notch is a good idea too. "People of other nationalities are more reserved than we are, so it's important not to come across as the ugly American: overbearing, overly familiar, loud," Grotts says. 2. FLASHING MONEY AROUND Peeling bills off of wads of cash won't endear you to the locals—nor does it curry much favor here in the U.S.—but showing the contents of your wallet and taking copious amounts of money out of foreign ATMs in full view of everyone will make you popular with pickpockets. The cash machine itself could be a thief in disguise too. "Look closely at an ATM before using it, as criminals have been known to place 'skimmers' on the machines, especially in areas frequented by tourists," says Elizabeth Finan, spokesperson for the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the State Department. 3. ASSUMING EVERYONE'S THERE TO WAIT ON THEM Just like money doesn't buy taste or love, having vacation savings to burn doesn't guarantee the royal treatment everywhere you go. There are two keys to not being an American jerk: "Being a little bit patient and not assuming that everybody here is here to clamor over your tourist dollars is important," says Anna Post, co-author of Emily Post's Etiquette 18th Edition. Back in 1922, Emily herself wrote a book chapter titled "Europe's Unflattering Opinion of Us." Unfortunately, very little has changed. "For years, we Americans have swarmed over the face of the world, taking it for granted that the earth's surface belongs to us because we can pay for it," she wrote. Try to buck those stereotypes. 4. ORDERING AMERICAN FOOD ABROAD Don't be that person who orders French fries in the middle of Italy. "The absolute worst thing you can do is to ignore the local food in favor of what's familiar to you: always seeking out the American-style burgers and pizza and Caesar salads on a menu or, worse, eating at fast-food or chain restaurants you know from home," says Laura Siciliano-Rosen, founder of Eat Your World, a website featuring local eats around the globe. Not sampling exotic food means you'll miss a large chunk of the area's culture that will enrich your travel experience. That said, everyone has heard at least one horror story about getting food poisoning abroad. "Wash your hands a lot and be smart about the basic things—avoid tap water and ice and unpeeled fruits and vegetables—and you can eat plenty of local food," Siciliano-Rosen says. 5. NOT BOTHERING TO LEARN BASIC FOREIGN PHRASES English is indeed widely spoken all over the world, but not making any effort will just make everyone hate you. "If at all possible, at least say a greeting in the other person's language, and then say, 'Do you speak English?' right after that," says Post. "One thing that I've been told grates is to just start speaking English in a foreign county. Yes, it's likely that a lot of people, especially in touristy spots, will speak English, but the presumption that they do is really obnoxious." No need to bust out an entire language dictionary either. "If nothing else, learn how to say hello, thank you, and please," Post says. 6. BRINGING BACK SOUVENIRS THEY THINK THEY ARE ENTITLED TO Not so fast hauling that vase out of the country and into your foyer. Absconding with a piece of a country's history—whether you knew it was authentic or not—isn't smiled upon. "Some countries, like Turkey, Egypt, and Mexico, have strict laws on antiques," Finan says. "If you purchase a souvenir that authorities believe is a national treasure, you may be arrested. In countries with strict control of antiques, document your purchases as reproductions if that is the case." 7. NEGLECTING TO RESEARCH A COUNTRY'S CUSTOMS Accidentally making a jerk move abroad usually means you haven't studied what that country's jerk moves are. Post says there are six major areas to educate yourself about before you go to a new locale: greetings, gift giving, exchanges of money (whether to put money in someone's hand or on the table), handshakes, body language, and food. Food etiquette has many facets, Post says, "whether it's the eating of the food, the not eating of the food, complimenting the food, trying the food... In some places, a compliment may mean you want more." 8. RELYING ON CREDIT CARDS FOR PURCHASES Carrying zero cash and using your debit card to pay for a bottle of water is growing more and more common in the U.S., but when you're abroad, you can't count on plastic. "Credit cards are not widely accepted in some countries," Finan says. "Although it is a good idea to bring a credit card or two, leave all unnecessary credit cards at home." If you run out of cash, the U.S. Embassy can help you with everything from contacting friends and family on your behalf for wire transfers or giving you a loan to get back to the States. 9. PACKING SOMETHING DUMB Other countries' security can make going through airport security in the States look lax. Abroad, if you bring over an item that so much as looks dangerous, you might find yourself on the wrong side of the law. "A foreign country's laws can be different from laws in the United States," Finan says. "For example, some countries have strict laws on weapons—in some cases, possessing something as small as a pocketknife or a single bullet can get you into legal trouble." Clean out your suitcase before you start packing. 10. FORGETTING THEY ARE REPRESENTING THE REST OF US You can't cancel out the bad behavior of every American doofus traveling abroad, but you can make a difference by being a positive example of a U.S. citizen. "Americans in general have a pretty bad reputation to try to live down," Post says. "Any time you can go the extra effort to use every courtesy that's available to you to show appreciation—like for the time that someone gives you in a shop—even if they don't return it right there, I think that that is part of what it means to be an ambassador for your country when you travel."