Dealing with Detractors in Online Communities
Posted by Jeffrey Henning on Sun, Aug 24, 2008
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.