A few years ago, when you had a negative experience with a brand, you would share your story with a few friends or family members. In this new era of social media, however, you tweet about it, update your Facebook status, or voice frustration through a negative review on Yelp. With this new way of sharing our experiences, brands are required to become more transparent than ever before.

Instead of fearing review sites or negative discussions on Twitter and Facebook, brands should embrace this new form of dialogue. It not only offers insight on what customers are thinking, but it also provides the opportunity to immediately address negative situations.  Just look at what unfolded this week between actor/director Kevin Smith and Southwest Airlines.  Although the story originated on Twitter, it was rapidly picked up by every major media outlet. After Smith tweeted about being kicked off a flight, Southwest immediately took to their Twitter page to address the situation and apologize for how the staff treated him.

When an event such as this takes place, it is in any brands’ best interest to leverage social media networks to quickly respond to customer feedback. Although it is unrealistic and unnecessary for a brand to address every single complaint, customer reviews can be very influential. Most of the time, customers just want to know that their voice is being heard. Brands that embrace this new open forum will be able to engage with customers and strengthen relationships. Deciding when and how to respond to criticism is an important element of an effective social media strategy.