Will Brand-Exploitation Scare Companies Away From Social Media?

October 11th, 2009 by Kirk Skodis under Customer Service, Newsworthy, Response, Social Media
Catching up on my feeds today, I read a Jennifer Leggio’s post, Does Social Media Reward Whining? which referenced Jeremiah Owyang’s Are Companies Teaching Customers To Yell At Their Friends? Both focused on the issue of customers taking advantage of companies who embrace social media.
I think it might be a good thing if the pendulum swings perhaps too far in the other direction for a while. Companies have doled out the same, piss-poor customer service for years, abusing the trust of their customers. Bad customer service has become cliché. So what if some fringe, bad apples take advantage of the more progressive companies in the space right now? Maybe this is a Social Media Revenge Tax businesses have to pay for ignoring their consumers for so long.
In the long run, this is good for companies too.
Let’s not forget that the conversation works both ways. Social media gives a new and empowered voice to consumers, but the brand’s response is just as public and powerful. Companies have the right to defend themselves from being badgered by those who would make unfair demands. Plus, it’s been my experience that for every “whiner” out there, there are 5-10 fair-minded “defenders” who will challenge outrageous demands.
See, the Internet and social media were built on self-policing communities. This is the democratic ideal we all cheered on and supported, but now I hear the same people who were its champions advising brands to ignore some customers who may be abusing generosity or fanning the flames of an issue that might otherwise die a quiet death (Watch a few minutes from this 140tc panel starting at 38:30 ).
Every beneficial public initiative runs the risk of exploitation by some, but we can never use that as an excuse not to act.
Is the customer always right? Well if you don’t want their business again, then maybe not. If you value their future business and the business of their friends then yes, they are right. Or at least their attention to your brand should be recognized, acknowledged and encouraged.

Catching up on my feeds today, I read Jennifer Leggio’s ZDNet post, Does Social Media Reward Whining? which referenced Jeremiah Owyang’s Are Companies Teaching Customers To Yell At Their Friends? Both focused on the issue of customers taking advantage of companies who embrace social media.

I think it might be a good thing if the pendulum swings perhaps too far in the other direction for a while. Companies have doled out the same, piss-poor customer service for years, abusing the trust of their customers. Bad customer service has become cliché. So what if some fringe, bad apples take advantage of the more progressive companies in the space right now? Maybe this is a Social Media Revenge Tax businesses have to pay for ignoring their consumers.

In the long run, this is good for companies too.

Let’s not forget that the conversation works both ways. Social media gives a new and empowered voice to consumers, but the brand’s response is just as public and powerful. Companies have the right to defend themselves from being badgered by those who would make unfair demands. Plus, it’s been my experience that for every “whiner” out there, there are 5-10 fair-minded “defenders” who will challenge outrageous demands.

See, the Internet and social media were built on self-policing communities. This is the democratic ideal we all cheered on and supported, but now I hear the same people who were its champions advising brands to ignore some customers who may be abusing generosity or fanning the flames of an issue that might otherwise die a quiet death (Watch a few minutes from this 140tc panel on Twitter Branding starting at 38:30 and see Guy Kawasaki call out the hypocrisy).

Every beneficial public initiative runs the risk of exploitation by some, but we can never use that as an excuse not to act.

Is the customer always right? Well if you don’t want their business again, then maybe not. If you value their future business and the business of their friends then yes, they are right. Or at least their attention to your brand should be recognized, acknowledged and encouraged.



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