We no longer live in a day where companies taking advantage,\nmisleading, or mistreating customers goes unnoticed. And now,\nmore than ever, consumers are paying attention to how companies are treating their\ncustomers. That is evident by the flood of social media posts with customers\nsharing details of how specific companies are mistreating and taking unfair\nadvantage of customers during this time of crisis. And more and more customers are coming together\nto file class-action lawsuits against companies like the one just filed against\nfive Canadian Airlines that have all refused to give refunds to customers whose\nflights were cancelled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether those consumers suing end up winning that case or\nnot, those companies lose. Because the stain\nto their company\u2019s reputation will cause far more damage to their bottom line\n(not to mention the legal feels they will incur defend their decision) than issuing\nrefunds would have. No potential customer\nout there wants to transact business with a company that treats their customers\nunfairly, especially at a time like this! Now is the time for companies to bend over\nbackwards to treat their customers right!! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And for every one customer being mistreated, thousands, even millions hear about it\u2026that is the power that social media and the internet have given to the customer.\u00a0 With eyeballs around the globe glued to social media and the news to pass the time while trapped at home their \u201cbuyer beware\u201d stories are more widely read than ever before. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My advice to companies is this: Now, more than ever, you need to show that\nyou are a company of integrity that treats its customers right. Show you care\nabout the hardships your customers are going through. It\u2019s not about you \u2013 it\u2019s\nabout them \u2013 because they are the customer and they are the reason your business\nexists in the first place. And you need them now more than ever for your\ncompany to succeed going forward. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At some point this virus will subside, but reputations of companies who have treated their customers poorly during this period will not\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n