A reader asks,

“Do you think big corporations will stop paying attention to disgruntled customers who “out” them on the internet for their bad practices? At what point will the sheer number of unhappy customers who take it to the tubes overwhelm them? Instead of getting executive service for publicly complaining, will they simply stop responding?

Do you think if too many people have access to the exclusive numbers we get from fellow Consumerists they will just close the pipe?

Almost without exception, the companies I have worked for are terrified of losing a single penny and view customer service as a huge money pit that is nothing but a problematic expense.”

We think the smart ones will pay MORE attention. The smart ones will hire, and in some cases, already have, a squad whose jobs it is is to monitor and respond to complaints. While customer service is a cost center, the smart ones know that if they let the problems fester and spread and keep hitting the front page, they could stand to lose a lot more money. On the other hand, Equifax changed the phone number of an executive customer service rep after we posted it. But they’re a B2B, their clients are not the people whose data they harvest into credit reports that they sell to other companies. So hire these squads and listen to us. Don’t put it down on the balance sheet as a cost center. Think of it more as a profit loss prevention center.

(Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wetbaloney/602355442/)

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