Digital Marketing Agency | Portland PPC SEO Services | Anvil Media -
  • Services
    • Paid Media
    • SEO
    • Social Media
    • Email Marketing
    • Website Development
  • Outcomes
    • Clients
    • Portfolio
    • Case Studies
    • Testimonials
    • Awards
    • Industry Expertise
  • Insights
    • Blog
    • Articles
    • Cheat Sheets
    • White Papers
    • eBooks
    • Podcasts
    • Webinars
  • About
    • Our Philosophy
    • Our Culture
    • Executive Team
    • News & Events
    • Careers
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Anvil Newsletter
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in

When Customer Service Goes Bad

by Anvil on July 7, 2009Online Reputation Management

When Customer Service Goes Bad

by Anvil on July 7, 2009Online Reputation Management

I understand that not all businesses are built on customer service.  Not everyone can be a Nordstrom or Zappos and offer a no questions asked return policy. Some companies are too busy being the cheapest or most convenient or some other differentiating factor. So what happens when you’re not doing anything different? Or at least nothing different that’s good for the customer?

Well, then you would be United Airlines. Everyone knows the airline industry has struggled for years now. Rising gas prices, tighter security, an economic meltdown…not really good things for air travel. Southwest has survived due to low prices, no frill flying. Despite some PR issues to deal with JetBlue remains popular with a lot of travelers for their relatively cheap travel at least throughout the east coast, and you get a tv and bigger seat. What about the rest of the guys? I’m talking the DeltaUnitedContinentalAmericanAirlines bunch. Sure most people probably have a favorite if the HAVE to chose between one of those carriers, but really, you get just about the same service, flights and bad food on any of them, and it becomes a price game. Except their prices aren’t that good.

And now, United Airlines has this guy writing songs and making music videos about his terrible customer service battle, lasting more than a year, because the airline broke his $3,500 guitar. And now they have an online reputation issue. As the video was only released yesterday, it only has a few hundred views In one day the video has been viewed over 3,000 times, not including sites where the video is embedded and it was picked up by The Consumerist. And that article has been viewed nearly 8,000 22,000 times, and is being spread through Twitter.

The unfortunate thing is that if United had just replaced the guy’s guitar in the first place, no one would have heard about it. Negative press about a company always spreads faster than good news. United is forced to play clean-up, if they chose to play at all. And the already low public perception of a brand is taken down a few more notches.

United Breaks Guitars Video

  • Contact Us
    Contact Us
  • Search
  • Recent Posts
    • 5 Reasons Why Your Website Needs a BlogMarch 4, 2021
    • Advertising with Apple iOS 14 – What You Need to KnowFebruary 24, 2021
    • A Guide to Google Ads Bid Strategies: Best Practices to Use with Your CampaignsFebruary 19, 2021
    • How COVID-19 Changed our Online BehaviorFebruary 11, 2021
  • Categories

Related Posts

  • How to Express Brand Empathy in Digital Marketing
  • Curating Your Brand and Driving Revenue via Online Reviews
  • 4 Ways to Optimize Your Personal, Online Brand
Ready to get started?

Take the next step toward growing your business. Tell us a little more about your goals and schedule an appointment.

Talk to Us

Blog

  • 5 Reasons Why Your Website Needs a Blog by Mike Stormberg on March 4, 2021
  • Advertising with Apple iOS 14 – What You Need to Know by Jared Carpenter on February 24, 2021

Twitter

Anvil Media, Inc. @anvilmedia

RT @kentjlewis: ‘Gateway to anything a marketer can dream up’: Touchless commerce has normalized the QR code, and brands are giving it a se…

ReplyRetweetFavorite

Testimonials

The most important part of working with any agency is the relationship that you build with the client services team. The team at Anvil delivers in this area as well by being very responsive, meeting deadlines, providing creative and innovative solutions, and spending the time to learn our business.Moonstruck Chocolate

©Anvil Media, Inc. 2021
310 NE Failing St. Portland, OR 97212

  • Services
  • Outcomes
  • Insights
  • About
  • Contact
  • Legal
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linked in
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • Pinterest