I really want your input and advice with this one.
How acceptable do you think it is to call out large companies like Comcast using social media channels (I’m thinking Twitter in particular)?
The other day I had a pretty bad experience with the cable guys and took my gripe Online. Here’s what happened:
Comcast Customer Service – Two Different Messages
Comcast service has been pretty spotty in the greater Burlington, VT area for over a month. By this I mean channels will literally ‘freeze’ so that you cannot watch the channel you’re on for minutes, sometimes hours. Strange, right?
Once I confirmed this issue with several other friends who live around town I fired off a tweet using the #Comcast hash tag. A tweep named @ComcastBonnie got back to me right away saying she’d get in touch with our local carrier to figure the problem out.
Bonnie told me the problem was due to our local NBC affiliate. I took her word, but the problem never went away.
I didn’t know what to do, so I began calling about the problem and got routed all over the place (Billing, Customer Service, Service Cancellation). Yesterday I sort of lost my shit blew my top and asked a customer service agent why I couldn’t get a discount if my service wasn’t working.
When I told the rep about my convo’s via Twitter, he said:
“Don’t trust what people say on Twitter, they’re just third party contractors.”
No way. No way was I buying that explanation or letting him pass the buck, so I popped a few messages onto Twitter and got responses from @ComcastBill and @ComcastGeorge (plus my good friend, @ComcastScott — Scott is my Dad’s college buddy and lives in New Mexico). Some emails got exchanged, promises of phone calls, but still nothing. No calls or action taken.
Big Brands are Fair Game…Right?
This is really where I’m looking for input, so please drop me a comment and let me know your opinion: Is it cool to call out a large company like Comcast on the social Web?
Well, I never used profane language, don’t believe I was overly critical and was only looking for some kind of action that leads to better service. God forbid the channel freeze happens during a Michigan State football game: I’d pull my hair out.
One of the bloggers I follow religiously, Lisa Barone, published an interesting article about the way Comcast treats customers. She points out that while the cable company may not provide great service on the phone, they are lightning quick to please Twitter users who broadcast their messages to potentially huge numbers of people.
Problem is, I’m not seeing much follow up with either source.
So please let me know what you think about the fairness of using Twitter to call out big brand companies like Comcast and what you expect as a fair response.
P.S. This came in the mail yesterday from DirecTV:
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I've had the NBC freeze-up situation as well, but luckily it was not during a Michigan game
I'm surprised you were passed around like a football and not given an ETA on Comcast finding out what the issue is and getting back to you. Obviously this is a regional problem so a) they should already know about it and b) have a valid reason and compensation plan to sooth the inevitable ruffled feathers. Especially to quell bad pr on the public Twitter timeline.
Hard to dump them tho in lieu of DirectTV – I don't think DTV offers internet.
Right on. No cable from DirecTV, and I don't want to switch, but damn is it tempting!
I think using social media is a legitimate avenue to call out poor performing businesses. Especially true if it ends up getting you results (my experience with organizations other than Comcast).
The risk is if complaining about a particular business or industry becomes the primary topic of your online presence it becomes your brand.
I think you're fully justified, and for several reasons… First, you legitimately complained using a medium that has worked in the past, and one that they themselves even trumpet. Second, you received a pretty dismissive response (“dont trust them, they're just contractors” – uh, who cares?) IMO, as longas yoy keep the complaint and on-point, you're fine. This is a new medium, it isn't a fad, and companies like Comcast can't ignore it.