Survey Software, Web Survey, Online Surveys, and Enterprise Feedback Management solutions from Vovici

Voice of Vovici Blog
Survey Research & Enterprise Feedback Management

   Contact Us       Customer Login       Support    Blog  
 

Experience Vovici :: request a callExperience Vovici :: request a callExperience Vovici :: request a demo

Subscribe to our Blog


Your email address

VISION 2010 :: Vovici User Conference :: Save the Date :: May 10-12, 2010

Posts by popularity

Recent Posts

Download your free copy our eBook: Survey Software Success

Free EBook!

We've compiled much of the blog into a free, 73-page ebook, Survey Software Success. The book outlines seven best practices for conducting online surveys.

> Download your free copy

Categories

Solutions For:

Online Survey Solutions Voice of the Customer SolutionsMarket Research Solutions Customer Support Solutions Voice of the Employee Solutions Government Solutions

Blogroll

Subscribe to our blog

Your email:

Current Articles | RSS Feed RSS Feed

Dealing with Detractors in Online Communities

Posted by Jeffrey Henning on Sun, Aug 24, 2008
 | Submit to Digg digg it | Submit to Reddit reddit | Add to delicious delicious | Submit to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon | Share on Facebook Facebook | Share on Twitter Twitter | Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn 

Stephen B. asked during our recent webcast on community best practices, "Re. Thick Skin -- do you ever have to remove a vociferous detractor from your community?"

  Why they make trouble How we'll recognize them How we will address
Legitimate Complainer Need help with products. Want to warn others. Raise legitimate issue. Uses strong language. Open to reason. Forward issue to support to solve the problem immediately (if possible). Explain policies, publicly to the extent possible.
Engaged Critic Think they can make things   better. Makes suggestions, not just   complaints. Responds intelligently to   other members' criticisms. Create forum to encourage topic discussion, recognize good ideas publicly.
Flamer Like to argue with other   members. Tend to participate in "flame wars". Refocus discussion on the higher goals of the community. Consider issuing warning to Flamer member privately, pointing to our Policy against Flaming.
Troublemaker Have a grudge against Brand, hope to create problems for Brand. Complains continuously with   little positive to say about Brand, cannot be satisfied, tends to use incendiary language. Consider phone conversation with individual to diffuse the situation. If behavior continues, consider removal from community - pointing to specific policy violations.
Pet Project Detractor Hopes to elevate priority of a specific "pet project". Changes focus of multiple forum threads to a single topic in hopes of rallying opinion unnaturally. Set up phone conversation to   diffuse the situation, recognize the pet project. Publicly recognize the issue, and any good ideas around the topic. Publicly announce other great enhancements included in the release to build credibility. Consider removing the member if the offense is egregious.

Vovici staff have developed the following matrix for dealing with different types of detractors in online communities and how to deal with them, including whether or not to remove them from the community.

Also see Thursday's post for my personal take on handling irate customers in communities.

Tags: 

Comments

Currently, there are no comments. Be the first to post one!
Post Comment
Name
 *
Email
 *
Website (optional)
Comment
 *

Allowed tags: <a> link, <b> bold, <i> italics

Receive email when someone replies.