When you purchase a product or service, you expect to get what you paid for.
If the product or service does not live up to your expectations, the company should make things right.
To go through this process typically means spending hours on the phone being transferred from one customer service agent to another, and repeating yourself like a broken record about the issue.
Social media has changed the way the complaint resolution process works.
Social media allows you, the consumer, to have direct contact and a direct impact on any company that does not deliver expected product or services.
The first step in the social media complaint process is to locate the company's Facebook page.
This can be done usually through the company website or directly through Facebook search.
Once located, write a clear and kindly worded paragraph about the issue, including any relative information like product or service description, then post directly onto their wall.
By posting to the wall of their Facebook page, you are sharing negative information directly to a large number of their customers.
This will ensure that you get their attention, and quickly.
Once the company contacts you, and they will contact you if they value their online presence, you will have plenty of time to discuss your issue and come to a satisfactory resolution.
Typically once the issue has been resolved, the company will ask you to again post on their Facebook wall.
The value of a post containing information as to how a company resolved a complaint is extremely valuable.
It shows others that the company is willing to take steps necessary to make things right and that they stand behind their product or service.
Social media allows you as a consumer to have a voice, and helps to alleviate the hassle and endless hours on the phone trying to fix what shouldn't have been a problem in the first place.