Customer service is one of the most important ingredients for growing a successful business but here is a lesson for all of us in how social media can bring worldwide exposure, of the wrong sort, to companies who ignore a customers complaint.
In days gone by it was difficult to broadcast messages about poor customer service. Yes you could try speaking to the press but very few of these stories ever saw the light of day.
United Airlines have discovered after ignoring a complaint from a musician, for over a year, that thanks to social media his complaint that they broke his guitar and did nothing about it has been put out on the web for all to see.
This story was quickly picked up by the Consumerist magazine who published the story and with the You Tube video approaching 5 million views this has come round and bitten United.
We should all remember this storey next time we decide how to resolve a customers complaint.