Poor Customer Service

[Bob Maxey]

I have started noticing that whenever someone has a complaint about some product or service they paid for, they complain that customer service does not immediately respond. It can take perhaps weeks or sometimes these poor souls never receive a reply.

They post on the web how much company X sucks and this never seems to help much, either.

Now there is Facebook. I have noticed that some complaints on FB are almost immediately addressed and taken care of.

So the question is this: does Facebook scare manufacturers and vendors and is it possible that a (legitimate) complaint posted on the entities' FB page seem to be taken more seriously?

No hard data comparing the number of FB complaint resolutions to resolutions from routine email contacts, just wondering aloud.

 

[PSkeptic]

I'm sure it does. Insular complaints lodged tend not to do anything. Complaints lodged in a social network environment hit HARD.

Every businessman knows Word of Mouth either kills you; or makes you.

 

[Bob Maxey]

I'm sure it does. Insular complaints lodged tend not to do anything. Complaints lodged in a social network environment hit HARD.

Every businessman knows Word of Mouth either kills you; or makes you.

I know that and it is very true. These days, however, you can send email after email to the CS department and chances are you will wait a long time for a reply. Or perhaps forever.

Just seems to be that on FB, a complaint is handled much faster.

 

[Outlaw71]

At first it was YouTube that was really hitting companies hard. People with complaints that were left unresolved by company X would post a vid on YouTube slamming the product and the customer service they recieved, and immediately the company would respond. Often times going above and beyond what was even asked by the dejected customer.

I remember one instance that was on the news where this guy had a problem with his laptop that he couldn't get any support for, so he launched a vid that went viral slamming the manufacturer and got a crazy number of hits. In response the laptop manufacturer sent him a new, top of the line laptop in its place as a PR move in damage control.

That's when the power of the internet was realized by consumers. Now the power seems to have shifted from YouTube to Facebook.

 

[KENNECTED]

I wouldn't say facebook alone is responsible for this, but the internet.

Social media tools made it easier for consumers to communicate quickly with business.

In the past you had to write a letter and wait; then we started to fax and wait; then we emailed and wait. Today we FB or tweet and a company representative is there to help us virtually.

 

[PSkeptic]

I know that and it is very true. These days, however, you can send email after email to the CS department and chances are you will wait a long time for a reply. Or perhaps forever.

Just seems to be that on FB, a complaint is handled much faster.

It's just a function of Social Media in general... A complaint on a social media network instantly becomes word of mouth to every friend that person has on their list, which may be a whole lot more than what a person's "circle of friends" used to be.

 

[olbriar]

Even AF has it's effect on the consumer/phone industry relationship. I don't necessarily think that I can scare my local VZ rep with "hey, we are a band of brothers" but when I have a problem, I go into the situation fully armed as a knowledgeable consumer. At least there is no wool being pulled.

 

[Xyro]

This reminds me of this article, which I read a few days ago. Its not exactly what you're talking about, but I think it's a nice example of how facebook lets the customer get their voice heard.

 

[Dark Jedi]

Well I know my wife is on this one forum and a woman on there was complaining about a product she bought. The very next day the company posted on her tread asking for more info and apologizing for their product. They made it right for the lady. Point is you don't know who is surfing these forums.