To Tweet or Not to Tweet...

Recently, I have been witness to a very interesting conversation about whether it is appropriate to call out a company using social media when you are having trouble with their product or service. This tracks back to the conversation being centered around the following situation:

1) The employee is open about who they work for in their social profile
2) The company encourages employees to Tweet about its products and services
3) The organization that was called out is a regular on the speaking circuit about using social media in specific Twitter for customer care.

Luckily, the employee in question is a stellar worker and smart. The individual was professional and appropriate. They did not really flame the brand in question.

It brought me to think of two instances I had reached out for help or with a complaint on Twitter and was surprised someone was listening and solved my problem. For the first time on this blog, I am choosing to tell one of these stories and name names... because I think the brand deserves major brownie points.

Back story:

I love shoes. GOD, I love shoes. I come by it naturally. As a standard procedure, my car knows to stop on the way back from Boston at the DSW store off I-84. It just does it... you know like the horse stops at Cohen's in "The Quiet Man"? On the way back from e2.0 in Boston this summer, I was making an pilgrimage again and buying a couple of unnecessary and well given I wasn't working, not bright purchases. I had asked the clerk if they could honour the $10 loyalty coupon I had sitting at home with my Rewards points. The answer was she was terribly sorry but no. I took it at face value. Bought my additions to my ever growing collection, and drove along home.

Fast forward one week....

I am on the phone doing a telephone interview. Who calls? DSW with a random ROBO call about a sale. Sure, I am great target. I walk into the store with a glazed look on my face every time. However, this is some thing I hate. It interrupts my train of thought. I get email from them... I turn to Twitter with my frustration and...
Tweet the following:

Hello DSW .. I love you but Robo Calls Please Stop. They will make me seek out other stores and Zappos.com 11:29 AM Jul 1st from web


Followed shortly by:

DSW. I would have been happier if you spent more $ on linking your membership system to know I had a $10 coupon last week & honoring it 11:32 AM Jul 1st from web

Only to be shocked by getting this:

per robocall tweet , I work for DSW and would like to resolve. I'll need to get some info, so please DM. thanks 8:20 PM Jul 1st from TweetDeck in reply to xxxxxx


The end result was WONDERFUL. The person from DSW and I chatted about getting my name off the ROBO list and more importantly had a great conversation about their venture into social conversations. We talked about some vendors that might help them. I have to say how delighted I was with the response. Beyond this, a couple of weeks later I received a hand written note from a VP at DSW hoping we had solved the problem. As a result, this brand advocate, me, will always turn to them first when physically possible... another public beg to open a store in Danbury, CT! DSW is my guilty pleasure.
Beyond this... I turned back to my twitter audience with the following tweet:

Just had a gr8t call with DSW after my rant yesterday. Fixing my problem. As you know I love heels! 9:31 AM Jul 2nd from Tweetie

I also mentioned the person's twitter handle in a #FollowFriday for being an excellent brand representative.

BRAVO DSW !!!!

So what are the lessons here?

1) If you Tweet and are connected to your own company brand, ask for help ... don't flame the conversation. BE PROFESSIONAL... Honestly, I could have been nicer in my original two posts. I admit it. .. as a side note... I wasn't connected to any employer at that time beyond my own brand which is JUST as important if not more.

2) Be proactive. If you are going to complain... you better have thought out some ways for the product or service to be better and solve your complaint in a REASONABLE way. Don't ask for a year's worth of service free. You are telling someone their product or service is broken... help them to fix it for you... don't be part of the problem.

3) Tell the World if they solve it. Tell the success story... Talk about brands that do things right and you love. Close the loop. Don't start a forest fire and walk away from it. DSW Shoes went above and beyond my expectations.

Remember the Golden Rule.. and think before you Tweet...How would you feel if it was you or your company that was badmouthed?