Comments on: United Airlines and the Social Media Double Whammy

By: Poll: Social Media Concepts in Demand |

Poll: Social Media Concepts in Demand | — Mon, 02 May 2011 23:42:57 +0000

[...] probably wouldn’t have ended up with with this catchy video about how bad they suck (video) (more info). The other answers are important, don’t get me wrong. Companies need to engage online [...]

By: airlinesjobs

airlinesjobs — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:41:42 +0000

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By: airlinesjobs

airlinesjobs — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:41:42 +0000

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By: airlinesjobs

airlinesjobs — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:41:42 +0000

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By: Remix: Social Media, Marketing, and PR Posts Revisited » Media Emerging | Scott Hepburn

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:05:57 +0000

[...] LinkedIn Strategy: I’m Sorry, Do I Know You? 25 Questions for the Future of Journalism and PR United Airlines and the Social Media Double Whammy 7 Nitty Gritty Tips for Managing Your Online Identity Bookmarked Articles Building Relationships [...]

By: Danny Brown

Danny Brown — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:44:24 +0000

I agree. And that's where United got it right – by responding through social media as well.

The danger is when you give people too much “power” – a valid claim can soon become a witch hunt, and no-one wins there. Then business gets held to ransom by people with agendas (and I'm not saying Carroll has/had one in this case) and soon we don't need customer service because we're at the hands of customer blackmail.

By: Scott Hepburn

Scott Hepburn — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 02:05:59 +0000

I would agree that this wasn't a social media issue to begin with, Danny, but it became one.

As Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li explained in "Groundswell," the balance of power is shifting. Companies have attempted to marginalize, ignore, or muzzle customers for years. In a dispute, the customer was most often outgunned and took the financial hit.

The groundswell levels the playing field, and companies that ignore it -- or think a customer service problem is not a social media problem -- are putting their profits and reputations at risk.

By: Danny

Danny — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 20:44:24 +0000

I agree. And that's where United got it right – by responding through social media as well.

By: Scott Hepburn

Scott Hepburn — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:05:59 +0000

I would agree that this wasn't a social media issue to begin with, Danny, but it became one.

As Josh Bernoff and Charlene Li explained in "Groundswell," the balance of power is shifting. Companies have attempted to marginalize, ignore, or muzzle customers for years. In a dispute, the customer was most often outgunned and took the financial hit. The groundswell levels the playing field, and companies that ignore it -- or think a customer service problem is not a social media problem -- are putting their profits and reputations at risk.

By: Danny Brown

Danny Brown — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 11:29:44 +0000

Seth Simonds has an excellent counter view to the majority of posts about Dave Carroll:

http://sethsimonds.com/business-response-to-soc...

Speaking of Mr. Carroll, I think he's basking in the limelight just a little too eagerly. Any sympathy I had for his plight is quickly disappearing with each video message he comes out with.

I'd go with Chuck in that this isn't a social media issue. The original complaint began long before Carroll made his Youtube videos. So I'd say that the real issue here is United's lack of response to a physical as opposed to virtual complaint. After all, they did reply when Carroll started his viral tirade, so they were listening from that point of view.