How Beauty Brands Deal With Customer Complaints Practically And To Preserve Mental Health

In a recent tweet, Sarah Moret, founder of the personal care brand Curie, opened up about the impact of customer complaints on her state of mind. “I’m normally good at brushing stuff off, but sometimes I see a comment online about me or my company that just wrecks me,” she wrote.

Moret’s honesty got us thinking about the toll negative feedback can take on beauty entrepreneurs and executives. So, we decided to ask 19 of them the following question: Do you have strategies you use to respond to negative customers both practically and from a mental health perspective?

Alexa Adler Co-Founder and Head of Customer Experience, Jupiter

I have a couple strategies:

1. Be honest and solution-oriented with the customer. If there's something we can do to make it right, offer it. If there's a deeper explanation we can give that shows what we've been doing to help/fix/update behind the scenes, clue the customer in. Talking to the customer on a human level can often help turn negative experiences around.

2. Remind myself and our team that this is not the norm from our customers. Think of all the happy customers! They are the vast majority! A negative interaction is oftentimes triggered by something completely unrelated on the customer's side rather than what's actually gone wrong with an order. We are always sharing positive customer comments/reviews/emails across our team so these are top of mind and help to pad the tough comments.

After years of engaging with customers, countless have actually ended up apologizing and pointing to some other "bad day" scenarios that led to them taking it out on you. Still not cool, but a reminder that it's usually about them not us.

3. Extract the learning. Outside of things beyond our control (lost in shipping, supply chain issues, etc.), was there something we should have done differently? Did we miscommunicate with the customer in some way? How can we avoid any of these triggers the next time around? While there's no excuse for bad behavior, there's often an opportunity to learn.

4. Lastly, sometimes a few deep breaths and stepping away from the issue can take you out of the immediate stress. Our first reaction is to jump into action—How did this happen? Are we doing something to fix it? is this happening to other customers?—but taking a beat and approaching it with a more level head can put things in perspective and take off the edge.

Julian Addo Founder, Adwoa Beauty

When I first launched Adwoa Beauty back in 2017, nasty customer emails would get me down. I was not prepared for the aggression some customers chose to communicate with. As a consumer, I'd never even thought to send a nasty email for a simple, resolvable issue, so to experience this was very jarring.

The customer service ones are fine (lost or damaged packages etc.), but the personal attacks some customers send your way get upsetting. I'm human, so, of course, these types of messages will sting a little. Over time, I think I have just grown a thicker skin and have intentionally shielded myself from handling customer service issues to preserve my mental health.

I have a fantastic team member who handles customer service with poise and professionalism, so I don't have to deal with it. I can stay positive and focused on running the company without any emotional baggage or negativity.

Christina Kao Co-Founder and Co-CEO, Le Mini Macaron

It’s unfortunate when customers take the “mean” approach publicly without first reaching out to the brand. There are human beings working behind every email reply, inside the warehouse, behind every social media account and, most of the time, these people really care about doing great for their customers. But I will say that for every one comment we have received like this, we probably get 20 to 30 customers who are kind, fair and understanding, and we’re so grateful for them!

We take the same approach in our replies regardless of the customer’s attitude towards us. We are honest and transparent about the issue, we try to give at least two options for them to pick from to solve the issue, and we express that we value their business. Our goal is to get them to love our brand and our team, and come back to us again and again. We’ve managed to turn some of the toughest customers into understanding ones with this approach.

Briggitta Hardin Co-Founder, NFZD Beauty

I worked in the restaurant industry for years and, in the service industry, you’re trained that, even when the customer isn’t right, you still have to show up and “serve” no matter what. I tried carrying this attitude as I built NFZD Beauty, but it’s different when you are putting your all into something.

Building NFZD Beauty is for my legacy, it’s building something that I can pass down to my children, so I’m extremely protective over it, and to be completely honest, any feedback received, I am mentally affected by it.

Fortunately, most of our feedback has been more positive, but I know, as we grow and scale, we won’t be able to please every customer. Receiving negative feedback, I believe becomes an important learning experience in the journey of a founder.

Responding to the feedback quickly, understanding and listening to the customer, and finding effective solutions to change the customer’s experience are strategies that help me learn and grow from the feedback. Learning how to positively accept negative feedback, is also important to protect your mental space during these times, something I’m still working on.

Lina Barker Co-Founder and Marketing Director, Aaron Wallace

Receiving negative comments/emails from customers is never nice, and it’s even harder to deal with when it is your own company. It’s difficult not to take it personally or let it affect your mental well-being. I have learned to recognize that their tone/comments are rooted in frustration and not necessarily a direct attack on me or my business. So, I focus on that.

I try to read past the hurtful comment and get to the root cause, whatever it may be. I then proceed to address the issue only. But, before I do that, I always take a 15-minute step back from the initial message. I take that step back so I can allow my emotions to wash over me, regroup and then approach it with a logical thinking mind.

Lisa Mattam Founder and CEO, Sahajan

If it’s a customer email, I often call the customer myself. I am protective of our team, and these emails can really impact people when they are read. I believe it's impactful to have a founder call a really unhappy customer because it shows I care and I stand by our product and our team.

Because I open in a friendly manner, customers are typically immediately relieved. I believe their frustration often comes from feeling unheard or unsupported. It has happened on the rare occasion that we have someone that is hurtful and mean-spirited and, in those situations, we do our best to help them, and then we have to send them good energy and move on.

We have had customers who have said that they would never buy from us again because of our support of the LGBTQ2+ community or of the BLM movement and, to those customers, I wish them well, but I know that I would rather be a values-based company that uses our voice in support of humanity.

Shawna Watterson Co-Founder, Nakey

I remember testing out some ads a few months ago on Facebook, wow, do you need tough skin for that. At first, we shied away from responding to negativity, but, with the nature of our brand, we decided that we owe it to ourselves and to the mission to stand up to it, while making sure we educate.

When you sent me this question, I went back through the negative FB comments to send you examples and, damn, it hurts. I don’t know what it is about the nature of people's online persona, maybe they think they’re talking to a huge, soulless corporation or maybe we really did offend them somehow, but, as a small business, watching and responding to negativity, you have to try to have a sense of humor about it.

I think believing in yourself and your end goal is the most important thing. That and drowning out the noise.

David Gaylord Co-Founder and CEO, Bushbalm Skincare

To combat negative comments on social media, we typically don't engage, but allow our community to react and course correct. Over time we see people shocked and outraged by us showing pubic hair, while others thank us for showing real hair and real skin.

Instead of dwelling on the negative comments, we re-post and re-share the positive ones with our entire team. There are generally many, many more of these, and it always lifts spirits.

Here is a fun thread from one of our ads where there was a lot of negativity around leg hair. Over time, the community started sharing photos of their hairy legs. It was a real fun moment for the team. This is only one ad, but this has happened on a few others as well!

Bani Bahari Co-Founder and CEO, OffCourt

I try to remind myself that negative reviews are fact of life and exist for every product and every brand. It’s especially true for a subjective product like ours. Fragrances are very personal, so a negative review is not necessary an indictment of the product’s quality. This is a helpful reminder not to take the comments too personally.

My typical approach is to engage with negative reviews, but first I categorize the review in my mind to frame how I respond. I think of them as constructive, confused or just trolling. Constructive comments are the ones with enough context to help me understand the customer’s perspective and frustration or disappointment. These are great because they help improve our company. I love these comments, and I always share my gratitude with the reviewer.

Confused comments are the ones that involve some misunderstanding of our product. Sometimes, these reviews help us improve our messaging, but sometimes it is just not our fault. Recently, we got one where someone used a sample-sized body spray as a breath spray and commented that they don’t like the flavor!

Confused comments are trickier because we have to try to educate while acknowledging their dissatisfaction. I typically write the response to these on weekends when I have more time to craft a thoughtful, non-defensive response. I assume the best and write something gracious and kind, and I have found that to be effective.

The last ones are the worst. Sometimes you get negative reviews that are not constructive, and you sense that the customer does not really want to engage in good faith. As a founder, you put your heart, soul and countless hours into creating something that you’re proud of, and then someone can spend two seconds writing a thoughtless review: “1-star: junk.” It can be really frustrating.

Unfortunately, Amazon has this culture. Thankfully, these reviews are rare, and I do my best to ignore them. I remind myself that, if you go on Google Maps, you’ll see that even Central Park or The Met have some 1-star reviews with one word comment “boring.” Some people just can’t be pleased!

Jana Blankenship Founder, Captain Blankenship

This question resonates with me so deeply. Just as much as someone writing to tell you how much they love your products can fill your day with sunshine, someone complaining about your products can bring storm clouds. This is your baby after all!

We really try to not take comments personally and come from a place of learning and education. A negative comment can actually teach you a lot more than a positive in most situations, especially if it's in regards to customer perspective on product or shopping experience. Even comments that are negative without reason or misinformed, learning to respond without haste and with compassion is always a good lesson.

The internet can be a tough place, and we want to bring positivity. Try to be empathetic. Everyone has bad days sometimes. It's actually a great feeling when a negative customer interaction is turned into a positive.

At the end of the day, we don't tolerate cruelty or disrespect towards our staff or on our platforms, but we try to respond to negative communications in a way that will show who we are as a brand— imperfect, empathetic, authentic and always learning.

Jaime Castle General Manager, Obagi

Making sure our customers feel heard is what our customer service teams are charged with. We respond to every complaint and piece of feedback via email and phone, as I think there is always something that can be learned.

However, some of the complaints just really hit you hard and are tough to shake. I tell my team to take a break, talk to a colleague, allow yourself to have a good laugh about something, especially after conversations or emails with feedback that are delivered in not the nicest way.

It’s important to me that my team feels appreciated and fielding complaints all day can definitely drain the passion one has for the brand.

Jonah Shacknai Co-Founder, Skinbetter Science

Customers get the benefit of the doubt in our Skinbetter world. We always respond and try to understand if there is something we can do to improve the customer’s outlook about our products or company, even when the issue seems to be unrelated to us and is more about the customer herself.

The beauty business is tough that way. Some consumers project their own issues onto medical providers and products. Nevertheless, we endeavor to make them feel better. We never take any of this personally, so it really does not have impact on our mental health.

Nicol Varona Cancelmo Co-Founder, DN Organics

As a team of two co-founders, we take all our customers' messages very personal. Over the last year in business, we have learned to draw out key lessons from both positive and negative comments.

As a startup business, a lot of the negative comments have been learning lessons for us and have made us adjust where there are gaps. Seeing it from an operational lens to make our customers experience better has helped us to make the best out of the not so positive comments, especially when it comes to our mental health.

We know it’s impossible to please everyone in this fast-paced industry. We rely on the positive comments for reinforcement of a community that enjoys our products and keeps us going on the days when we get the negative messages.

Abby Wallach Co-Founder, Scentinvent Technologies and Sparti Scents

When a customer or anyone for that matter has a criticism or complaint, it is always best to respond promptly and be authentic in your response. It is also helpful if you put yourself in their shoes to understand their perspective what the complaint or scenario is and respond accordingly.

It is more about listening to their want or need unless it is specific to something with your product. [We] then request the product back and offer something new in return or a credit for the future. Always best to be thoughtful, empathetic and do right by your customer.

Stas Chirkov Founder and CEO, Blunt Skincare

As an omnichannel CBD skincare company, it is very important for us to avoid chargebacks. Our strategy is to address the immediate concern, find the solution or offer a return while trying to turn any negative comments into a positive experience. It is important for us to capture constructive criticism and learn from it.

From a mental wellness perspective, I avoid taking the negative comments personally and remind myself that every company, large or small, experiences it.

Sarah Belzer President, Coconu

I apologize and sympathize and, if it’s something I can fix, I make it right. I try to remind myself that people are facing all sorts of challenges and their comment may be more negative than the situation warranted because of what they are dealing with and going through. It if really gets to me, I unplug for a bit and go for a walk. I also find it helpful to check in with those close to me, whose support keeps me balanced.

Kerry Benjamin Founder and CEO, StackedSkincare

We are committed to the satisfaction of our customers. Customers don't want to hear excuses. They want us to provide solutions and ensure we are taking good care of them.

That's why I make sure my team replies promptly and assures them that we will resolve their issue, without getting into lengthy explanations or taking it personally. Having a rapid response and resolution, and keeping things professional helps restore most people's confidence with us as a company.

Jamila Powell Founder, Naturally Drenched

No matter what stage you're at you have to know if your customers are satisfied. It's difficult to read harsh criticism about something you have poured your time and energy in to, I must admit. I am big on respect both ways. Sometimes, it's not just the message, it's the level of respect I perceive from the message.

So, I have to separate my perceptions and see what the customer is really saying and how I can write a solution-oriented response. Typically, I'll rewrite my response two to three times, and remind myself to not take it personal and keep it professional. At the end of the day, if you know that you've given it your all, then you have to recognize everyone is entitled to an opinion and, if it's an honest review, learn from what they are telling you.

Chase Polan Founder and CEO, Kypris

As a brand committed to our relationships with our customers, we deeply value, understand, and continue learning that each individual is unique and different. This matters not only when consulting with customers about their skincare desires, but also when communicating and holding space for customers that may be dissatisfied or simply want to be heard.

We recognize that a negative comment or criticism may or may not be influenced by one’s personal circumstances, but it is still our job to make sure our patrons, followers and interested customers feel heard, seen and understood, and that we respond to their feedback in the most service-oriented way possible. We love receiving feedback, yet good or bad, we need to stay focused on being in service to each person within the appropriate boundaries of customer care.

If you have a question you’d like Beauty Independent to ask beauty entrepreneurs and executives, please send it to editor@beautyindependent.com.