JetBlue Loses Control & Gains Popularity In The Process

One of the biggest concerns of many PR reps and Marketers when making the addition or transition from traditional media to new media is lack of message and feedback control.

This is a natural fear in a business where control is thought to be the success of media strategies.

However Social Media being the rebel that he is, is proving all of us wrong.

Again.

In the beginning TwitterTwitter was viewed as a rather useless ego stroking mechanisim for those average and not so average joes to transmit brief messages about everything they did, literally every second of the day i.e.

@exampleoftwitter Good morning evry1, breakfast, brush teeth, then work -sigh-

140 characters of … nothing.

However this once seemingly useless microblogging site has become the biggest arena for consumer complaints, reassurances, suggestions, and bottled up consumer anger ever witnessed.

As an example I’ve been seeing a growing trend in companies such as JetBlue Airways transform negativity in customer feedback to productivity, by listening carefully and participating in the online conversation going on in Twitter.

Through the use of their twitter account @JetBlue has managed to create an unprecedented relationship with their consumers. They’ve created a system where they encourage JetBlue customers to participate in queries, suggestions and even give complaints.

The result is a genuine conversation between company and customer.

Lets use the example of Tony Wagner. Who found out he wasn’t seated next to his wife and daughter of Two years on their Memorial Day weekend flight, obviously upset by the seating arrangements he immediately contacted customer service who redirected him to take his concern to the gate. Mr. Wagner decided to tweet about his issue not really expecting any resolution

“@jetblue Advice to get both parents and 2 yr old seated next to each other on flight later today? Right now only one parent. Full flight.”

19 minutes later JetBlue responded, offering to help through the direct message feature allowing them to correspond privately:

“@tonywagner Please follow us so we may DM!”

After their short exchange, JetBlue flagged his tickets as a priority concern.

The company jumped at the chance to redeem the customer and move the conversation to a personal preface where the brand would not be damaged but rather enhanced for their quickly responsive customer service.  By veering this possible complaint to a productive resolution they have earned a story in the New York Times about their excellent service and are now regarded as innovators in the Social Network forefront.

This case exemplifies that perhaps control is simply out of reach now, and as professionals we have to accept,  embrace, and simply go with it.

So, for once.. lose control and just listen.

Sheila

Social Media Communications Specialist @ The RE Agency