Before you read this post, watch this video by Gary Vaynerchuck:
What this video introduces is the idea that a single tweet can have enough power to move a company to react. Recently, I had a problem with American Express and Brookstone. The problem I had was long & complex, but I’ll brief you:
- I have an American Express charge card (not credit card). I earn points, which I can use to buy things.
- I ordered a product, using my points, from Brookstone on October 21st. It was a Christmas present.
- November 2nd I asked for an update. I was told the item was shipped directly from the manufacturer (On The Edge), and they would forward me more information as soon as possible.
- Weeks go by… we go back & forth. I’d talk to someone, they’d tell me something. 8 or 9pm that night, I’d get a voicemail with a different answer.
- Finally, I cancel the order and move on. Or so I thought
- That night (a Tuesday) I’m told the product is out for delivery (even though when I talked to them earlier, it hadn’t been shipped yet) and to refuse the delivery. It’s scheduled to be delivered on Thursday.
- Wednesday morning I get a notice from the UPS Store that I have a package. Crap. It was delivered a day early.
- I spend the next few weeks going back & forth to get an RMA number and return shipping label. Again, I’m told it will be sent to me, nothing happens. All the while, the nice folks at the UPS Store allow this giant box to sit in their store.
- Finally, on January 17th I talk to someone who confirms everything (including my email address, which they had completely wrong (I blame the Amex rewards system for that) and manages to get the shipping label to me. I forward it to the UPS Store, they send the package back for me.
Frustrated with Brookstone, I tweeted:
From now on I’m only getting @AmericanExpress gift cards when I redeem points. @Brookstone really screwed up this order! cc @BrookstoneCEO
— Eric Nagel (@ericnagel) January 17, 2012
Here’s where I give them credit. I tweeted about them before, but apparently the first one didn’t get their attention. Including @BrookstoneCEO may have done it. Their social media team sent my name to an upper-level customer service rep, who then looked up my order, read the history (maybe the first person to read the order history, before talking to me), then called me to apologize. Not only that, she listened to me vent and ended the call by offering me a $50 gift card for my troubles.
Some companies “get” social media; others do not, and their brand is being tarnished each day. Compare @DeltaAssist (Delta Airlines, who talks to their passengers) to @USAirways (US Airways, who broadcasts messages and ignores their passengers). It’s not like people aren’t trying to talk to US Airways (they are!), but US Airways isn’t listening.
In an instant, I can send a message to 4,000 other people via Twitter. If one of them retweets my message, it can go to thousands more, and keep going until tens (if not hundreds) of thousands have read what I wrote.
Any brand should not only be monitoring their own brand name for both complaints and compliments, but also monitor generic keywords for customer acquisition opportunities and monitor competitor brands for disgruntled customers and news. Depending on how popular the brand is, this may be a part of an existing job, a single person’s full-time job, or require multiple people providing coverage 24 hrs / day to represent the brand in the social media space.
I wasn’t in it for a $50 gift card – believe me, it wasn’t worth $50 to spend that much time on the phone with them. I’ll find a charity that can raffle it off and donate it to them. But kudos to Brookstone for listening to 1 customer and making things right. Start monitoring your brand online today.
Eric Nagel is an affiliate marketer and Internet Marketing Consultant based out of Buffalo, NY. He’s also a huge fan of Tim Horton’s, which drives Nate crazy.
