Iona Bain

Got a grievance? Then make sure you complain online

All publicity is good publicity, right? Wrong. The United Airlines controversy last month showed just how quickly poor crisis management can decimate company shares. And we financial journalists know as soon as we mention our job titles when making a customer complaint, we usually receive a positive outcome, such is the corporate terror triggered by a whiff of bad press.

But now the internet is making it possible for anyone to kick up a stink in a most public fashion. Recent research from comparison site Gocompare found that UK companies have paid out £65 million in compensation to customers who took to social media to complain about services and products. The proportion of British consumers who have aired their grievances online is still relatively small (15 per cent), but the results are pretty effective – 55 per cent say their issue was resolved quickly and more than a quarter received either money off or a goodwill gift.

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