Social Media's Impact on Brand Image

Neal had a bad experience with returning a pair of defective running shoes to Nike. He decided to write about it and tell others about his disappointing experience. Just happens that Neal writes for The Wall Street Journal and millions of people can read his article in print and online.

Today, we are all broadcasters. Sure, we've always had our circle of friends to share experiences with about a product, service, or company, but with the internet, our circle has significantly grown. Whether it takes the form of a simple status update on Facebook ("I am waiting in line at ___ and they are so slow!"), a product review on Amazon ("I had trouble with ___ and it was actually hard to use"), or a long, detailed blog post, all of our experiences with brands now reach a much wider audience than even 10 years ago.

Nike may have gotten unlucky with Neal, but had they known he'd write about his poor experience for everyone to read, they would have treated the situation differently. Since we all have the potential to talk about our brand experiences to an audience, everyone becomes a potential misstep or opportunity for a company. Keeping in mind Long Tail principles, even though you may only have 50 friends to broadcast to (what damage can that really do?), when you add up all the small circles of influence, it can really become a powerful force. So, if you are a person with a large sphere of influence like Neal or you are an average social media user, every time a company interacts with a customer, there is very real potential for it to be discussed in the social media realm (and become a permanent mark on your brand) . How should social media effect the way companies now look at customer service, return policies and maintaining brand image?

The New Print News: Customer Service Complaints

Any PR agency coming to grips with the fact that, well, the pitch isn’t biting in print might have better luck by fabricating a really nice story that features a customer and his/her own worst enemy: customer service.

A strategic ploy now very much a reality at print news outlets, reporters are reporting out the “crux of the matter,” what every customer wants to hear – and readers are responding in the embedded comments box. Who wouldn't want to hear and continue a thread on bad hotel service, because I too didn't get hot water when I wanted a hot shower. What's worst-- no one was at the front desk to remedy this situation. Ahhh... putty in a reporter's hand.

I remember the days when family-centered stories were all the rage, but as circulation numbers dwindle, so does a reporter’s time and energy in seeking out rich content that does not appeal to the masses. Customer service forever and always will.

If you don't agree, check this out. I wouldn't want to be this hotel brand...