Companies have known for years that the key to a successful business involves keeping customers happy. The most effective companies have found ways of acknowledging and addressing customer complaints. The introduction of social media has completely re-written the rules of the complaint game. Today’s customers are fully aware that the best way of getting a company to listen to your concern is to place it in the public spectrum. Social media sites like Twitter and Facebook have forced companies (some reluctantly) to acknowledge and solve a customer’s complaint. It is VITAL that companies monitor social media and address any mention, positive or negative, of the company or its products.
One company that has employed social media in order to better serve their customers is Comcast. Love them or hate them, Comcast has made great strides in the last few years to try and better understand their customers’ concerns. Comcast has multiple representatives that constantly monitor Twitter (@ComcastCares) to assist customers in various quandaries Comcast has kept and important truth close, however. While they are focused on empathizing and assisting in customers’ needs, they also adamantly defend their brand. They have discovered that many times people will “rant” about the product or service in general, instead of a particular problem. Following this, they also discovered that customers will respond in a positive way as long as the company acknowledges their concern. So, in other words, many times Comcast will respond by saying something to the effect of, “We are sorry you are having connection difficulties, and will send a representative to you as soon as possible. Connection difficulties do occur occasionally and, many times, are because of forces out of our control.” In this response, Comcast acknowledges the customer’s problem (connection difficulties), and offers a possible solution (a service representative), while still defending their brand (Stating that this particular problem may be out of their control).
Comcast has proven that the key to social media customer service is not necessarily about immediately solving the customer’s problem, but rather immediately acknowledging the problem in an honest and sincere way. This strategy is one that should be studied and imitated.
Cliff Carter 
Cliff, I like how you said the company should listen to comments positive or negative. Usually you would think to only pay attention to negative comments, so that problems can be acknowledged and fixed. But it is also important to listen to positive ones, so companies can continue doing what their customers like about them.
Yeah, the truth is, companies should arguably be MORE focused on positive comments, so that their customers will feel that you value their loyalty and input.
Oh and by the way maybe I should go complain about Comcast, they cut all of our power, and water lines earlier this week! hah
I like your use of a real world business example. I have found that complaining to Comcast online is a lot easier than calling the help line. Communicating through twitter eliminates the sassy attitude and apathy that is usually present when talking to Comcast customer support on the phone.
I have pretty much given up on trying to reach Comcast through their help line. Now I just have to hope my tweets will be answered.
Amen. I can’t stand picking up the phone and waiting on them to answer with an attitude. If it is as simple as acknowledging the problem, I wonder why there are so many companies still behind.
I find it all very interesting. I personally think that every company have down falls, but social media is a way for a company to step ahead and listen and respond to their customers negativity and make it into a positive situation.