OpenMagazine

Social media has become a public platform for customers to speak their minds and one of the places to do so is in the comment section. Since public comments are viewable by both existing and potential customers, they are often the best way to catch a brands’ attention. This also means that negative comments have a huge impact on your brand image. As a brand manager or business-owner, it may be tempting to delete negative comments and resolve the issue in private to minimise the damage, but this may actually end up doing more harm than good. Why?

Deleting comments ruins trust.

If a customer posts a negative comment, deleting their comment would be the worst way to regain their trust, even if you contact them privately. The act of hiding their opinion makes it seem as if you have no faith in your own service or product. This also holds true even if a customer does not have a bad experience but notices the deletion of negative comments made by others. The best course of action would be to reply publicly, even if the issue is ultimately resolved in private. This way, you can appease the dissatisfied customer while displaying your professionalism to others. 

To illustrate the harm that deleting a comment might cause, here are two potential scenarios:

Customer A comments that they haven’t received their product.

Scenario 1:
You delete their comment and contact them directly. However, before checking their personal messages, they check their comment for a reply and realise it’s gone. They feel slighted and cheated. Not only do you lose a customer, they may resort to leaving negative comments on a platform beyond the brand’s control, like a public forum or a review site. 

OR

Scenario 2: 

You reply to the comment and apologise before directing them to their personal messages. The issue is resolved privately and Customer A is satisfied. Some time later, Customer B sees the comment and asks how the situation unfolded. Customer A responds positively that they’ve received their product. Both Customer A and Customer B are left with good impressions of the brand.

So while there are instances where comments should be deleted for your brand and your customers’ safety, like spam or inappropriate content, any other negative comment, be it criticism or a negative review, should be responded to appropriately rather than deleted. Use it as an opportunity to improve and build customer trust.

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“I was never the kind that could survive our school system. At the age of 17, I told myself I’m either going to make it and I’m going to make it very differently or I’m going to crumble.” – Sandra Woo, a Lululemon ambassador and wellness instructor in KL who’s focus includes teaching Yoga and Mobility.

In this podcast episode, Sandra shares how she first took up the practice of yoga and how it has shaped her values in life. She talks about the common misconception about yoga and what are some of the first things people should try if they are new to yoga. She shares the challenges of being a fitness instructor as well as the traits of a great fitness instructor.

With her hit debut single ‘Okay’, Talitha Tan was catapulted to the top of music charts and stardom. Not only is she an amazing songstress, Talitha is and adrenaline junkie who’s passionate about fitness, parkour, rock climbing, motocross and powerlifting!

Tune in to learn more about the Malaysian music scene and Talitha’s singing journey. 

She’s worked with international brands such as Huawei, Lenovo and Disney. Sharina Shahrin is a Malaysian mixed-media visual artist who has her own creative studio and clothing line, bajubysharina.

Find out what it’s really like to be a full time artist in Malaysia with Sharina Shahrin.

You’ve probably seen this “Ang Moh” everywhere on the internet! Mark O’dea is a popular TV Host, Actor, Youtuber & content creator in Malaysia!Coming from the UK, Mark’s created a successful career in just 6 years. 

Find out how he carved a path for himself in a foreign land in this episode of the Hello Mentor podcast. 

He is the first Malaysian cyclist to have made it into the top 6 finalists of the Olympics three times, Josiah Ng @josiahcyclist is a retired Malaysian professional track cyclist turned speaker, coach, mentor, tech entrepreneur and brand advocate.

He shares how anyone can develop the mindset of a champion, be it in one’s personal or work life.

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1. Choose a topic that interests you
Loving what you’re talking about is the cornerstone of podcasting. Listeners recognise passion, or the lack thereof. Genuine passion is contagious. Your affinity for a subject will cause listeners to feel more invested in your show.

2. Prepare thoroughly for your guests
Having guests like experts or public figures from various fields to pick their brain on your podcasts can make for exceptional content that can draw in niche audiences. However, how the interview is conducted can make or break the entire episode. Be sure to study the guest’s past appearances, previous answers, and career highlights among other things. This will help you come up with unique questions that can set your show apart.

3. Encourage participation using social media platforms
While podcasts may seem like a one-way medium, there are many ways to get listeners involved. Pose questions for listeners to answer in a centralised location, for easy compilation, that you can feature in future episodes. Not only will this provide you with interesting content while simultaneously boosting social media engagement, it incentivises listeners to tune in to subsequent episodes in hopes of being featured.

4. Have a regular upload schedule
There is nothing more frustrating than waiting indefinitely. An upload schedule doesn’t just regulate your workflow, it helps build up listener anticipation. If you always upload on a particular time and day, more listeners are likely to tune in as soon as an episode drops. This can also make listeners create a routine involving your podcast, like listening as they have breakfast, commute, or go on a weekly run.

5. Publish episode transcriptions

Posting episode transcriptions on your website or social media can be an effective way to reach a wider audience and maximise the value of your work. People researching the episode topic on search engines may discover your podcast while and begin tuning in. Besides, it’s a win-win scenario since having transcriptions makes it accessible to the hearing impaired, allowing them to enjoy your content.

Subscription box services hit the market more than a decade ago. Although it is still a fairly novel concept, the industry has seen a growth rate of 30-50% annually. The convenience of a scheduled monthly delivery coupled with the excitement of receiving new products makes subscription boxes a great way to reward oneself. These days, there seems to be a subscription box catered to every market, ranging from household essentials to leisure products. Many of these subscription box services also offer a one time trial, which could make a perfect gift! Here are just a few locally available subscription box services. 

1. For the foodies: Boxsome, offering snacks from around the globe. (https://www.boxsome.co/)
   Boxsome is perfect for those who love travelling with snacks. The team at Boxsome sources snacks globally and curates them into a box every single month, perfect for the adventurous foodies who love discovering new treats.
   
2. For fragrance enthusiasts: Scentses + co, a monthly perfume subscription. (https://www.instagram.com/scentsesandco/)
   Scentses + co aims to deliver designer perfumes to your doorstep monthly, ensuring that you never have a bad-smell day. They offer two options: a monthly delivery of a chosen perfume or a monthly delivery of six different travel-sized designer scents curated by the team. The latter allows perfume lovers to try out new fragrances without committing to a full-priced bottle.
   
3. For the bookworms: Dualitybox, a new YA book every two months. (https://www.instagram.com/dualitybox/?hl=en)
   Dualitybox is a bimonthly book subscription service and a new theme is revealed every two months on their Instagram page. Not only would subscribers expect a new YA book and exclusive merchandise, they can also expect fun collaborations with bookstagrammers for relevant discussions. These boxes are perfect for those who enjoy reading and are seeking a community of fellow book lovers.
   
4. For parents: Atom & the Dot, fun art-science activities for kids. (https://www.instagram.com/atomandthedot/)
   Atom & the Dot is the ultimate box for parents who want to keep their kids busy with educational activities. Besides their normal boxes that are for sale, they have a surprise box with 3, 6, or 12 month subscription options. Each box will contain 3 to 4 fun activities based different science topisc monthly. They have even worked with local animal sanctuaries to offer live virtual field trips!
   
5. For the joyseekers: Happy Hopscotch, miscellaneous items that spark joy. (https://www.happyhopscotchmy.com/)
   Happy Hopscotch’s motto is ‘Be Happy for No Reason’. A new box is released every 3 months, filled with various lifestyle goods such as handmade accessories, locally made artisanal goods, exclusive products from independent brands, or anything that brings joy to the receiver. They also offer a ‘Try It Out’ 1 time box for those who want to test the waters before committing to a plan!