CHAPTER 17
Social Customer Service Is a Failure
While much work was being done at Comcast in the public view, an even greater amount of work was being done internally and away from the spotlight. Social media in business, in my view, has often been a failure for a multitude of reasons. More importantly, social media Customer Service, which some have credited me with starting, is probably a larger failure. Although I think that a few companies, including Comcast, continue to do the right things, others are not performing to the level that they should, and in many ways, may be hurting their brand in the process.
Our efforts at Comcast were centered on improving service for our Customers. In watching many other organizations, I am not sure that they have that same concentration. Most organizations still strive to control the message so they concentrate any social media service efforts within PR or marketing. Often their main reason for even offering to help someone in social media is to put an end to negative conversation. In doing so, they often may make exceptions or strive to treat that particular Customer differently from the way they would through other channels. All Customers should be treated fairly and consistently. By making exceptions for those who are speaking out, it appears that their only goal is striving to shut up their Customer and not necessarily on fixing the underlying issues. Ultimately, the message that this type of company is unknowingly and unintentionally ...
