Wise words John and I think you've hit the nail on the head. If you have no response to a critical remark then why respond? As you said: "track trends, not individuals".
Thanks, Stephen ... I think there are some industries/companies where responding to blogs is just about impossible. We tend to forget about those folks when we evangelize about conversations and such, don't we?
Great post John. I think the confusion comes when we equate response with communication. Yes, one way to respond to customer complaints is to communicate with them. It's also a good idea to fix or improve whatever was wrong in the first place. Your actions will speak louder than words. Most customers would probably PREFER that you fix the problem than "communicate" with them about it.
"Read and respond" doesn't have to mean "speak" 
Check your e-mail. We need to talk.
Susan:
I like what you said ... "most customers would prefer that you fix the problem rather than just communicate with them."
In my dealings with clients regarding blogs, they always question how and when to "jump in." It's a tricky question -- one that differs for every client, doesn't it? And the truth is that a lot of what people complain about is unfixable in the corporate scheme of things.
Hi again John. Truly unfixable or just hard? There's a subtle difference, and I do think that often we try to substitute communication (of some sort) for the hard work of actually fixing what's broken/not working properly.
You know the old cliche "if you say it three times, it must be true."
Susan:
Well, if you're an oil company -- for example -- your company's problems with an environmental blogger are likely unfixable.
If you're a fast food company, your company's problems with a nutrition blogger are probably unfixable.
In other words, when I used that word I was referring to entrenched issues and differences of viewpoint rather than customer service problems.
We're actually in violent agreement about the essential issue.
I just think there's even more to the potential problem of seeing blogs as "the solution," which is using the blog just like so many firms have used customer service -- to mask, not solve, essential problems in the business that they *could* fix if they wanted too. Some things truly are unfixable, but I believe that most are just hard -- perhaps really hard, next to impossible -- but not totally impossible. Even the fast food company can make strides providing healthier food, given the incentive anyway
The oil company and the environmentalist -- that's a lot harder.
Here's an example of the kind of thinking I'm talking about -- I saw it on Techdirt (http://techdirt.com/articles/20060227/
1133237_F.shtml) today -- Diebold is sueing the guy who revealed their use of uncertified voting machines. Talk about not facing the real problem.
Anyway the utility of blogs as customer satisfaction channels will diminish if companies see them as an easy way out.
Susan, I can't claim to speak for John, but I don't think it's a matter of whether the problem is "unfixable."
A lot of things can be "fixed," but not at the expense of the rest of the business model.
The "solution" here isn't to blogBLOGblogBLOG till you drop. It's to monitor what is being said such that you aren't blindsided by a shift in your perceived reputation. The majority of "blogshots" that are posted about an organization aren't worth a response anyway -- too much time, too little value. You're draining lakes with shotglasses.
The key is ensuring that someone within the company is savvy enough to figure out which blogs have real influence, and which complaints carry a stigma of permanence.
In that instance, I have a solution... and it's not what you think (is it John?)
I guess it all boils down to how an individual blog post -- or several -- is perceived.
In some cases, one or two or several posts may be very meaningful, as the message may signal a problem or opportunity that needs to be tended to.
But they may just be mere "pissin' in the wind" -- mindless chatter that is of no value.
The key is using PR sensibilities when monitoring blogs to be able to tell the difference, and guide management accordingly.
Too many bloggers discuss monitoring without admitting there is a difference in the value of people's posts. They cite Kryptonite as gospel without also reporting on the literally thousands and thousands of blog complaints that don't amount to a hill of beans.
The key is being able to distinguish between the two. And then taking action that is appropriate without damaging the long-term policies of the organization.
John,
I think you lay out very well the difference between learning from the blogosphere and feeling compelled to jump in naked.
However, does your opinion change at all if you are dealing with employees?
I recently noticed several companies have groups of employees posting not-so-pleasant things on MySpace. Surely, responding on the site would not be the best strategy, but doesn't the company want to possibly consider other ways to engage employees, even if they do not have a perfect solution in mind at that moment.
Well, John, this was a most excellent thread. I absolutely agree with John's initial premise that companies should listen to what is being said about them, carefully weigh whether it is good commentary or bullshit, and respond *out loud* only when appropriate -- whether by blog or other means.
Some commentary doesn't merit response. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't pay some attention to it. Even a crackpot can have some important things to say.
I'm also concerned about the possibility of companies jumping into blogs as a replacement for *really* listening to their customers. We've had enough examples of silly corporate blogging already. I doubt we'll ever see ANY of that from any of John's clients or mine. But it can happen...
Susan ... I may have glossed over your point earlier, the one about blogs not being a substitute for really listening, and I agree completely.
I was very focused on what would accurately be called "critics," not customers. But your point is well taken ... when a real customer, or prospect, has a concern, there is definitely value in understanding it and responding if possible.
In that vein, there is a great deal that companies can learn from bloggers ... how they are viewed, how products/services are really used, what features are desired, etc.
Jeffrey ... I saw those MySpace forums today too. We must be reading the same blogs.
I was amazed at a couple of things -- how stupid those employees are to post such information beside their photographs, and how damaging all that is to the company's being represented.
For example, I love Panera's but the forum postings made me sick to my stomach.
I definitely believe that companies should establish detailed policies for blogging and then monitor those sites to ensure the rules are being followed. I find those employee forums to be far more damaging than the complaints of a customer.
Susan, I was the guy that busted Trump for being phony with his blog. He wasn't as much interested in getting feedback as in getting his backside smooched.
I'm not in the blog-panacea camp by any stretch. I think there are 100 times as many businesses that ought to be monitoring blog opinion than there are companies that ought to be blogging.
For now.
Jeffrey:
D'oh ... I feel like a dummy. The place I read about those MySpace forums was on YOUR blog. Sorry about that.
Very well thought and perceived. I've included a link to this entry in my business ezine. I believe we could all benefit from your wisdom. As small business owners, every negative comment can feel like a stab in the back and the downfall of the company. By understanding how to react, we can focus on what's really important. Like it was mentioned in another comment, sometimes things cannot be fixed at the expense of the entire business model (profit/loss) but all comments should be listened to and weighed accordingly. After all, customers keep our businesses afloat.
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