First and foremost, respond promptly and calmly. Ignoring negativity or going on the offensive can make things worse and scare off potential customers who see the exchange. Instead, acknowledge the person’s issue: “We’re sorry you had a bad experience; we take these matters seriously.” Then invite them to discuss it privately: “Please message us your details so we can make it right.”
Taking the conversation off the public thread shows you genuinely want to resolve the issue without fuelling a public argument. If the feedback is constructive, use it as a learning opportunity—maybe your scheduling could improve, or you need better communication. If it’s a case of someone being unreasonable or trolling, keep your cool. A reasonable, polite response often shows others reading the thread that you’re professional, even if the commenter is not. Ultimately, how you handle negativity can actually build trust, showing you care about customer satisfaction enough to put in the effort to fix problems.