Power to the People!

The authors of Groundswell have made an excellent point in Chapters 9 and 10.  While earlier chapters in the book have discussed the benefits and strengths of the Groundswell, these chapters explain how to use the Groundswell to your own benefit.  How to listen and interact with the Groundswell.

In all the talk about Twitter, I decided to that I should do an experiment of my own, and took to my largest grievance of all the companies in the world: Charter Communications. 

Let me explain: Charter provides my Internet and Cable.  I wanted to switch to DirectTV, even though I heard some pretty awful things about them, but my landlord wouldn't let me. That left me with the local monopolizing provider: Charter.

Let's just say I have had somewhere between 5-10 absolutely awful and no positive customer service related issues with Charter in the past few months.

So, after reading Groundswell, I did what any member of the contributors would do, and I tweeted.

@CharterCom I'm SICK of reps calling and refusing to hang up when I tell them, truthfully, that I can't talk cause im driving #leavemealone

What am I hoping for by tweeting this?  Well, I guess I'm hoping that Charter will acknowledge me.  Maybe apologize. Maybe give me a free movie.  Maybe.

The point is, as a Charter customer I have a few ideas.  I think that people shouldn't be constantly nagged and bothered.  I think instead of telemarketers insisting that I listen to what they have to say, they they should listen to what I have to say.

Einstein sends Charter straight to voicemail

I can do this for any business.  Just because I am not a Charter employee, or a dentist, or a retailer, I can still give the opinion from the consumer standpoint.  Furthermore, I'll give my opinions away for free.  Again, I wouldn't say no to a free movie.

This is what Groundswell is talking about.  All anyone wants is to give their opinion and have it acknowledged. We want to feel special and a part of the process.  And If I hate it, then that means that there are tons of others out there who do as well. 

Listen to me.  Listen to us, the Groundswell.

We all have those companies that we hate dealing with.  Personally, I love Verizon.  I know that many people dislike them, but I don't have much in the way of negatives to say.  Are they more expensive than others?  Yes.  Do my parents pay my phone bill?  Absolutely.  However, I call customer service and I have always been taken care of excellently. 

So, if Verizon were to ask me what I thought, I could tell them the things I like, and they could do more of that.  And I could give them some stuff to improve on, also. 

We are ordinary members of society.  We are the Groundswell. Use us, use our opinions to better your company, and all parties involved will be happier.