Show empathy.
Show you understand how disappointing or upsetting the situation must have been. Most people just want to be heard.
Apologize if you owe them an apology.
Here is a fantastic example of an apology from a news station that falsely reported the names of the airplane crew on the Asiana crash landing in San Francisco. They strive for and that did not happen today. We are sorry for that.
But sometimes you aren’t wrong! So don’t apologize.
This is when it gets very frustrating. The customer might have been wrong but they are blaming you. It never helps to point a finger back at the angry individual. This will only serve to fan the flames and that’s the last thing you want. Mostly, you want other viewers to recognize that this person is unreasonable and not to take this review too seriously. Follow steps 1 and 2. Apologize not for making a mistake but for the fact that they didn’t have a good experience. Re-state your expectations, and what happens when they aren’t met mutually. Speak in a factual way and stay professional.
Thank the commenter. If appropriate.
Getting constructive feedback is good. It helps you make your business better. Thank the reviewer for taking the time to comment and allow you to address the situation.
Know when to stop engaging.
Some people just love to complain. A troll is someone whose only mission on the Internet is to throw mud, complain, leave negative comments, and generally cause chaos for you in your social media space. Don’t fall prey to this.
Do not continue to engage with this person. Say your piece, and move on. Hopefully, others in your community will come to your defense. If you ignore the trolls, they will eventually go away. Because it’s no fun being a troll when you aren’t getting any reaction.
The Lesson
Whatever you do, never respond in anger or with emotion. Your goal is to put this issue to rest quickly with as little attention as possible. When you respond in anger, it only blows the situation up like these owners of this bakery did.
Address the situation head on. Empathize, listen and thank. If you’re doing everything else right like building a community based on values you all strongly believe in, your community will come to your defense.