Commentary
How Long Is Too Long To Respond To Complaints?
- by Wendy Davis , Staff Writer @wendyndavis, February 13, 2013
Do brands need to respond when consumers make comments on social media? The answer appears to hinge on the type of brand, say experts at a panel about social responsibility. If consumers are complaining about an "always-on" product (like broadband service) or online games (which people expect to play at all hours), then yes, companies must also be always-on in their response, says Keith Pape, vice president at Ayzenberg Group. But if the brand is, say, Tide, immediate responses don't necessarily make sense, says Maya Grinberg, chief Evangelist and social media manager at Google's Wildfire. "A P&G brand like Tide has millions and millions of people making comments," she says. "Is it reasonable to expect that every one of those comments will be responded to -- and within an hour? No."
Wendy Davis is a Senior Writer at MediaPost. You can reach Wendy at wdavis@mediapost.com
IMHO, timeliness is a secondary factor. The primary factor a satisfactory answer; one that upholds the promise between brand and consumer. A bad response given quickly is a case study. A response that upholds customer satisfaction (there is an assumption of reasonability) can be delayed for some time, as long as it delivers on the promise.