You may have heard about how Starbucks is doing serious damage control after a patron wrote about an alleged homophobic incident at a store on Long Island. I mention it here because twice in recent weeks I have heard directly from companies after I tweeted about shoddy service -- when Sleepy's (essentially) refused to sell me a mattress (they were busy ... texting) and when Orbitz gave me bogus flight information en route to Tulsa -- and thought it was pretty fascinating how terrified businesses are of the power of social media. In both cases, I was offered money as compensation for my troubles, something I'm nearly certain I would not have gotten had I just called to complain -- even if I'd asked to speak to someone's "supervisor." Any other social-media types experience this first-hand?Thursday, June 16, 2011
'Social' Responsibility
You may have heard about how Starbucks is doing serious damage control after a patron wrote about an alleged homophobic incident at a store on Long Island. I mention it here because twice in recent weeks I have heard directly from companies after I tweeted about shoddy service -- when Sleepy's (essentially) refused to sell me a mattress (they were busy ... texting) and when Orbitz gave me bogus flight information en route to Tulsa -- and thought it was pretty fascinating how terrified businesses are of the power of social media. In both cases, I was offered money as compensation for my troubles, something I'm nearly certain I would not have gotten had I just called to complain -- even if I'd asked to speak to someone's "supervisor." Any other social-media types experience this first-hand?
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Maybe you can get some response from Safeway about a recent incident in DC where two locals were called "faggots" by a cashier. See developing story at Metro Weekly. I love that another resident sought out his own resolution and got a semi-sincere apology on video from the cashier. Where is coporate on this?!? It's disgusting!
http://metroweekly.com/news/?ak=6342
http://www.metroweekly.com/news/?ak=6343
http://metroweekly.com/poliglot/2011/06/dc-city-councilmember-asks-for.html
I wish I had... last year American Airlines canceled a flight from JFK to SFO (and I didn't find out about it until after I arrived at the airport) and had only two agents at the desk to deal with over 100 customers waiting in line. I was furious, and tweeted about it... no response. Perhaps if it had happened this year instead of last my experience would have been different.
Follow up: Safeway offers apology:
http://www.metroweekly.com/news/?ak=6357
Yes! I wrote a scathing review of Sugarcane in Miami. They lost our name at the hostess station and forgot about us. Then after a waiter noticed, we still were not seated. Well after I posted the review on Yelp.com, I got a desperate email from the "PR" rep almost immediately. She (of course) apologized and wanted me to call her and indirectly asked me to take down the review. I never called and the review is still up.
I use Twitter when I fly because I've found that at least with Jet Blue and Delta they have staff on hand to help and assist.
This way I can avoid the long lines at the airport or the hold music on their help lines.
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