Are consumers turning into bullies

You are absolutely right Richard, it is ridiculous what people are allowed to post on the internet. What most don't realize is that the internet is not monitored and individuals can post whatever they want...that does not make it true. One step is to start educating the masses on these whiners....start revealing the "agendas" they have behind their posts and teach ethics and integrity of posting on the internet. As with anything, some will get it and some won't....however, those that do, will become stronger advocates of what is right, taking the wind of out the sail of those bullies.

Like the idea Barry. My wife wrote a complaint to Amazon when our KIndle was smashed saying that they should be made stronger. What she did not mention was that our kid had stood on it. Amazon sent her another brand new one in 48 hours with no questions asked. Fair enough some may say but that's developing an future expectation and is a hefty cost to other companies not as cash rich as Amazon. The pendulum seems to have swung too far in favour of all complaints needing to be addressed immediately without question and without exception and at a high cost. There needs to be some way of developing a loyalty factor, or a whinger database :) in this or customer service will become a major cost centre.

Interesting posts Richard. IMHO, firms are missing a trick by using sm as an extension of their customer service capability. Sure, you get a highly visible and prompt resolution out there but you're just encouraging more complainants to use sm - and as john suggests these might not be genuine. Who wants to use sm in this way? The big opportunity is to have a proper dialogue with those customers who are most engaged with you. Talk to them, reward them and if they complain then gently remind them of where to direct their problem, ie. away from sm!

Since when, and by whose judgement, does anyone not have the right to complain about anything they choose?

@Mike - anyone can complain about whatever they like. I take exception to people who make up a problem in order to get a freebie out of the brand, or make a huge fuss about something minor for the same reason. Don't get me wrong, I don't wish for a return to the 'bad old days' when people had to phone a customer services line to make a complaint and, because the complaint was only between two parties (the individual and the brand) with no audience, the brand could get away with poor service. In many respects social media has improved the standard of customer service we get from brands and that is a good thing. My point was more about the behaviour of individuals - and what (anecdotally I admit) seems to be a trend for a lot of outraged, self-righteous, even rude whinging on social media. Just because a conversation is taking place online doesn't mean it shouldn't be conducted in a polite and civil way.

@Gideon - see comments above - I think sm can be useful for customer services if the balance is right - but it should also be used for the things you talk about - dialogue, engagement, the nurturing of loyalty etc. Many brands manage use sm for both things, and many brands do both well.

Yes, but it's not a new phenomena. I saw it back in the 1990s with Usenet.

The area that I have seen it in in recent years has been amongst the American religious and fundamentalist right who have organised boycotts (using social online networks and email)of companies that don't meet their religious standards - such as Disney and MacDonalds.

IIRC there was a case where they were successfully prosecuted under American racketeering legislation.

So there appears to be two problems for business:

1, Organised movements.
2. Individuals on their high horses.

I strongly suspect that the first is by far the most problematical and serious.

Interesting thoughts Richard,

I actually think that although the recent #McDstories was a bit of a debacle at the outset the response was quite good. I guess this Brand Bullying phenomena highlights the need to have a real cohesive relationship between Social Media and PR and making sure that those two teams put together a comprehensive plan to deal with any positive or negative scenarios.

We're never going to stop the whingers but you have to deal with them in the real world and Crisis Media Management especially with regard to Social Media is becoming and will become more and more important for any and all brands as we get more access to these networks and tools.

Acknowledging rather than ignoring the negative comments and even inviting discussion of their comments has proved quite effective (and sometimes provided a positive conclusion) from what I've seen of recent examples.

In the USA the "customer" had evolved into the "consumer." The final metamorphosis was from consumer to "demanding pauper," the catalyst being an admixture of the Internet, big box stores and outsourcing - all perfectly natural expressions of a commercially entropic system. Today, social media enables "monsters of the id" to run roughshod over suppliers of products and services - and even each other. Little extortions and bullying are becoming endemic in all transactions. The anarchy is unmitigated - and it is truly anarchy - a rabid dog chasing its tail, jaws frothing and snapping until it expires. The demanding pauper can only be replaced by the rational customer when scarcity is replaced with abundance, and stress is reduced precipitously. This takes thoughtfulness, good will, education, investment, and a long-term plan - all things in short supply in these United States.

-JH

I would also point out that anyone has the right to complain about anything, and always has. The advantage that social media provide is that you get visibility quickly and can respond appropriately, rather than have the issue fester unseen.

Controversy makes the wise men and the fools look the same - and the fools know it.

If someone insults me, I can choose to fight or not. The business has a reputation based on what it does, not just on what some people say about it. Everyone has dealt with bullies, but not everyone chooses to become a victim. Through its actions the business validates, or refutes, the critics' claims.

When Fox News sued the comedian Al Franken over his use of the phrase 'fair and balanced', he told his lawyer to say to them, "Please, please, sue me." The resulting controversy raised his profile significantly. He used to be a writer on Saturday Night Live. Now he is the junior senator from Minnesota. Sometimes having the right enemy can do more to boost your reputation than anything you could do on your own.

This is a phenomenon throughout the media. He who shouts loudest gets most attention but those who disagree are silent. Problem is this imbalance changes perception. So, if your brand is getting kicked you're in trouble.