3.06 Unhappy campers

Consider this scenario. You work in the women’s section of a large department store, and you’ve just returned to the floor after a nice lunch break. A customer hurriedly approaches you with an angry look and in a loud voice says, “I bought this pair of jeans last week. Just look at them! One wash, and they’re ruined. What are you going to do about it?”

If you’ve ever been in a similar situation, you recognize that this customer is making a complaint. A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction. Customer complaints can be expressed in a variety of ways—verbally (either in person or over the phone) or in writing (either physically, such as in a formal letter to the company or a comment card, or online).

In today’s ultra-connected society, it doesn’t take long for some online customer complaints to go viral. Check out musician Dave Carroll’s video message to United Airlines after the company’s baggage handlers broke his guitar: United Breaks Guitars. Links to an external site.The video has over 19 million views! How’s that for negative publicity.