Prior to internet, consumers could only give feedback or request service on purchased products in person, over the phone, or by snail mail. Due to the annoying and sometimes tedious process, consumers would simply not call in a complaint or express their satisfaction at all. Companies would miss out on important feedback, and consumers would put up with unsatisfactory services or products. 

With the existence of social media, consumers are now able to connect to businesses instantaneously. This makes it very easy for consumers to express their views on a product or service. It also makes it more comfortable – announcing your view to the world wide web and nobody in particular is actually quite a bit easier than having to tell somebody over the phone or in person that their product sucks. This relates to the “social media triage” we learned in class: If a consumer is unhappy, it is important to “take reasonable action to fix the issue and let customer know action has been taken”.

I have personally experienced great customer service via Twitter – My Optik TV was down so I tweeted about it, and in a few minutes, the Telus Support team tweeted me back, offering me reassurance that they were on the case. What surprised me however, was that Shaw Cable also tweeted me telling me that their TV service was NOT down and that I should think about switching.

Monitoring the web for feedback from customers is key for businesses in order for them to fix what they are doing wrong, continue what they are doing right, and maintaining a relationship with the customer after the sale. Thanks to social media, consumers can expect a higher level or service and increasingly better products faster.