Facebook and Twitter Complainers Expect Action…Fast.

Ever complain to a company on Twitter or Facebook? I have–and more than once. Often, I get a fairly quick, helpful response.

My favorite example is the time I bought a laser printer at OfficeMax. Within a day or so of setting it up, the printer malfunctioned. I called the store where I bought it, and they said to call the warranty number provided with the printer.

Okay, not very helpful, but fine. I called the warranty number. After explaining the situation, they said “No problem, just mail the printer to us and we will get it fixed within a few weeks.”

“You’re kidding, right? My company has to do without a printer for a few weeks?”

They said that was the best they could do.

Steamed, I got on Twitter (I had just under 5,000 followers at the time) and posted my displeasure to OfficeMax’s Twitter handle. Within twenty minutes I received a tweet asking me to DM them my contact info.

Long story short, an hour later I was at the same store where I purchased the defective printer, exchanging it for the next model up from the defective model, and since it was on sale I also received a small cash refund! Needless to say, from that moment on I have never bought office supplies anywhere else.

According to American Express Open Forum, 25 percent of consumers who complain about products on Facebook or Twitter expect a response within one hour. Our practice with our clients (we manage social media for several companies, brands and individuals) is that one way or another, we respond to customer questions, comments, compliments and especially problems within moments if we can. Even if the answer isn’t what the aggrieved party wants to hear, they know they have been heard. Being heard is very often what matters most (source: theSocialMediaMonthly.com):

According to a recent American Express study, 48 percent of Americans say they will tell an average of 15 people about a good customer service experience, while 56 percent say they will definitely tell others about a poor experience, spreading the word to an average of 24 people.

I have also had problems with other brands/companies that either responded days later or never at all. To be sure, I have no warm fuzzy OfficeMax love for those companies with poor customer relations and avoid spending money with them. And yep, I tell my friends, family and associates to avoid them, too.

It’s simple. The longer you wait to respond, the better chance of either losing a customer forever–or worse–they get steamed enough to start trashing you in such a way that you lose control of the situation. And woe be unto a brand that ticks off someone with a large social media following…just ask Southwest Airlines.

If you’re going to be a player in the social media space, be prepared to not only share but listen and respond. Quickly.