Business and Blogging

Feedback: The Breakfast of Champions

by Liz Fuller on February 16th, 2008

(www.businessandblogging.com)

One of the reasons that both small and large businesses  cite for not wanting to start a blog is their concern over customer feedback. They worry that by opening up their blogs to comments, they will receive a preponderance of negative feedback from dissatisfied customers. They fear that the happy customers will remain silent. Their reputation will be damaged and they will lose potential new customers as well as existing neutral customers.

There are several flaws in that logic:

1)  If customers have constructive feedback for you - you need to hear it. As unpleasant as it may be, it is their perception of you.  You need to be aware of how you are being perceived, and correct any misperceptions before they become a publicity nightmare.  Forewarned truly is forearmed.

2) The act of providing a forum for feedback automatically reduces the frustration level of your customers.  A large part of the reason that your customers are so angry is that they feel they are not being heard. By enabling them to feel listened to, you immediately start to repair the relationship.

3) You have an opportunity to respond. A blog, by definition, is two-way communication. If a customer complains to you, you can respond with authenticity, empathy, compassion and information.  And for every customer that does complain, there are many more watching to see how you respond.  This is your real opportunity to build trust and develop loyalty.

4) Your customers are more discerning than you think.  Internet users and blog readers have become quite sophisticated over the past few years. They can distinguish between a legitimate complaint and someone who is merely ranting.  They will largely ignore the noise of the occasional crank. In fact, you may be surprised - they may even come to your defense, eliminating any need for you to defend yourself.

5) Customers are talking about you anyway.  This became evidenced in the past couple of weeks.  If Target or Steak n Shake had had their own blogs, their offended customers might have been able to take their concerns directly to the companies.  The issues could have been discussed, debated and resolved there, without spreading as far and wide over the blogosphere.  Both Target and Steak n Shake could have maintained more control and ensured that their sides of the story were being heard as well.  

So, instead of worrying about what your customers will say about you if you have a blog - worry about what they will think about you if you don’t have one.  Will you be perceived as a Champion who eats Feedback for breakfast and grows even Stronger? Or as a Loser who is Afraid of hearing the Truth?

What’s your opinion - should businesses let their customers respond publicly on a blog?

Go ahead and tell me what you think - Feedback - Yum!!!

Photo Credit: Guillermo Esteves

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POSTED IN: Blogging, Public Relations, Risk Management, crisis management