Management Tip of the Day: How to Respond to a Customer Revolt

Are you having trouble viewing this email? If so, click here to see it in a web browser. HOME   |   TIPS   |   BLOGS   |   THE MAGAZINE   |   BOOKS   |   STORE RSS   |   Mobile FEBRUARY 6, 2013 How to Respond to a Customer Revolt You might not think of customers as a threat to your business. But thanks to social media, consumers can now incite insurgencies that overturn even the most strategic initiatives (see the Gap logo and Netflix debacles). Here are three steps for reacting to a customer rebellion: Listen and respond. Many brands get into trouble by failing to notice warning signs. Be sure your company has tools for monitoring social media, a crack team of social analysts and customer advocates, and a genuine commitment to act on what you see and hear. Engage and dissipate. Potential insurgents are far more likely to trust a fellow customer than you. To neutralize a problem before it spreads, encourage brand advocates to speak on your behalf. Involve and transform. Prevent riots from happening in the first place by involving customers in making key strategic decisions. This could be as simple as establishing and moderating online customer support communities; or as involved as innovating your customer strategy, relationships, and processes to be more collaborative. Today's Management Tip was adapted from "Countering a Customer Insurgency" by Mark Bonchek and Chris Fussell. Read the full post and join the discussion » Share Today's Tip: FEATURED PRODUCT Playing to Win: How Strategy Really Works Ebook Now Available Two of today's best-known business thinkers get to the heart of strategy — explaining what it's for, how to think about it, why you need it, and how to get it done. And they use one of the most successful corporate turnarounds of the past century, which they achieved together, to prove their point. A.G. Lafley, former CEO of Procter & Gamble, in close partnership with strategic adviser Roger Martin, doubled P&G's sales, quadrupled its profits, and increased its market value by more than $100 billion in just ten years. Now, drawn from their years of experience, this book shows how leaders in organizations of all sizes can guide everyday actions with larger strategic goals built around the clear, essential elements that determine business success — where to play and how to win. ADVERTISEMENT Follow the Tip: PREVIOUS TIPS Don't Let Failure Ruin Your Dreams Divide Your Writing Project into Manageable Tasks Know If Your Candidate Is Serious About the Job Reach an Agreement by Seeing It Their Way Build Trust on Your Virtual Team Before You Write Anything, Know Your Readers The Right Way to Give Your Boss Bad News Stop Surfing the Internet Now Keep Your Audience Engaged By Sharing the Stage Know What Makes Your Company Special All Previous Tips BEST SELLERS HBR's 10 Must Reads: The Essentials HBR's 10 Must Reads Boxed Set HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations HBR Guide to Better Business Writing HBR Guide to Getting the Right Work Done Introducing Mobile ManageMentor Powered by the proven content of Harvard ManageMentor™ iTunes >> Android >> UNSUBSCRIBE   |   UPDATE YOUR PROFILE   |   MORE EMAIL NEWSLETTERS   |   PRIVACY POLICY Was this email forwarded to you? If so, sign up to start receiving your own copy. ABOUT THIS MAILING LIST You have received this message because you subscribed to the "Management Tip of the Day" email newsletter from Harvard Business Review. If at any point you wish to remove yourself from this list, change your email address, or sign up for other email newsletters and alerts, please visit the Harvard Business Review Email Newsletter Preference Center. OPT OUT If you do not wish to receive any email messages from Harvard Business Review, click here. ADVERTISE WITH HBR This enewsletter is read by thousands of decision makers every day. Learn more about connecting your brand with this audience. Copyright © 2013 Harvard Business School Publishing, an affiliate of Harvard Business School. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing | 60 Harvard Way | Boston, MA 02163 Customer Service: 800-545-7685 (+1-617-783-7600 outside the U.S. and Canada)