Bad Customer Service - The Power of “Word of Web”

Recently I carried out some research on cable/satellite/digital TV providers in my area as I am looking to upgrade due to the poor TV reception I get, plus I wanted to upgrade my Broadband connection. So I went online to do some research on the various suppliers, Sky, Virgin Media, BT.

Whilst digging around online it became apparent how easy it is to find content and videos about the poor levels of customer service that individuals had received from some of the companies above.
Do a search for “BT customer service” on YouTube and you’ll find a few videos from customers who have had a negative experience with them.  In fact there are quite a few videos from customers who have received poor customer service from many of the big brands.

In the age of the Internet, you’re never far away from getting access to a variety of feedback on a particular company, and this is something businesses need to become more aware of. Gone are the days where a negative customer service incident remains only in the head of the actual customer and their closest friends and family. Within minutes that experience can be shared online with a much wider community via social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

Companies need to start looking more closely at social networks as a channel to not only deliver customer service but to manage their brand’s reputation. Remember it’s not just potential customers that could be doing some research on your brand but job seekers too! I feel an ‘Employer Branding’ post coming along…