There now really is no ‘hiding place’ if you deliver bad customer service! That’s because there’s a new website specifically for customers to air their ‘gripes’ about businesses and invite others to do the same! And it’s got a very high profile advocate – Dave Caroll.
He’s the guy who sang ‘United Breaks Guitars’ – the YouTube song and video that got over 11 million hits when he had a bad customer experience on United Airlines (click here to see it – it’s ok, it’s not skiving, it’s research!)
Gripevine is a public platform for customer service. Users can post their “gripes” on specific company product pages and invite their social networks to contribute supporting clicks. Gripevine says that they amplify your online voice and connects you directly with company decision makers who can get your complaints heard and resolved!
What’s interesting is that the website will use automated channels to alert companies when they have ‘Gripes’ against them and give them a chance to respond either privately or publicly. When they do respond, the customer rates his or her service to contribute to an index of customer service quality.
In other words, it rates businesses not just on their customer service, but on their ‘response’ to customer complaints which is obviously an integral element of that customer service – Potentially powerful stuff!
Gripevine also allows users to upload photos and YouTube videos with their complaints – so maybe there will be more Dave Carrolls in the future!
