Playbooks to Hug Your Haters: Winning Customer Service Frameworks

Handling customer complaints effectively requires more than good intentions—it demands strategy. Jay Baer’s 'Hug Your Haters' offers two powerful playbooks tailored to different types of haters.

H-O-U-R-S: For Offstage Haters

• Be Human: Show empathy and care in every interaction.
• One Channel: Respond using the same channel the customer used.
• Unify Data: Access all customer information to avoid repeats.
• Resolve Issue: Aim to fix the problem fully in one go.
• Speed Matters: Respond promptly to prevent escalation.

A bakery chain exemplifies this by personally replying to every email complaint, often including direct contact info, which builds trust and loyalty.

F-E-A-R-S: For Onstage Haters

• Find Mentions: Monitor all public platforms for complaints.
• Empathize: Publicly acknowledge feelings and concerns.
• Answer Publicly: Show transparency to the audience.
• Reply Twice: Limit responses to avoid drawn-out conflicts.
• Switch Channels: Move to private messaging when appropriate.

A frozen dessert company uses this approach to respond to Facebook complaints by sharing stories publicly and inviting private resolution, winning hearts and diffusing negativity.

These frameworks are proven to boost advocacy by up to 20% on social media and prevent escalation in private channels.

Mastering these playbooks prepares your business to hug every hater with confidence and care.

Sources: Amazon summary, Sobrief.com, FourMinuteBooks.com 1 2 3