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This post is great! Already hungry for another one;-)
.-= Leo Bottaryu00c2u00b4s last blog ..Sam Arthur, The Perfect Character =-.

Seth:
Good points. Think about all the barriers that used to stand between a brand and a consumer. All gone. And given that the conversation and or message can be started by the latter, it would make sense to encourage it, welcome it, listen to it.
We are all talking the standard mantra, however. I am looking to stimulate behavior that is actually different and unexpected. I want to see that sign on the way out the door of the companies I do business with. Will they dare to put it up?

Tyler:
Slide two in my social presentation says: In the future, the successful brands will be those that learn to tap the potential of social media by embracing it, finding new ways to do business, realizing that content is their most important product and increasing openness and transparency.
So we are in agreement. Thanks for your comment.

Excellent post Edward.

It would be quite arrogant for a company not to acknowledge feedback - including the negative.. and we are way past the ability to keep it quiet.

Embrace it, challenge it, and let it guide your company. They are your customers, after all. It is interesting to see how its being done now that social media is king (comment boxes, anyone?) - Skittle's, Modernista's and now Mullen's websites come to mind. In the end, the good companies are going to become great, while the ones that don't care enough about their business or customers are the ones that are going to be really left behind. No more hiding behind PR spin or empty gestures. Its time to be great and show how much you care through real, measureable action that everyone can see and participate in.

Edward - new to the blog, almost ashamed to say. I think I'd agree with Dylan that this approach is not for the faint of heart brand. If you're looking for the "yes man," this isn't your ballgame.

One of the aspects that's critical to your post, if more brands ultimately adopt this approach, is listening (or monitoring). What good would it do for a company to open themselves up to critique if they weren't going to see what people had to say on the back end? I tend to think that the type of brand that would fit your post is already doing that, but it is often a neglected step.

Can't wait to follow this blog more closely.

Chuck Hemannu00e2u0080u0099s last blog post..Is ROI (or lack thereof) Really That Much of a Barrier to Entry for Social Media?

Brands should absolutely welcome criticism. It's a great way for them to improve their product.

A great example is what Dell is doing with IdeaStorm (http://www.ideastorm.com/). It allows people to suggest ways for Dell to improve their products. It gives Dell a chance to see what consumers want and shows consumers that Dell cares about those things, too.

Thanks for the post and the answer is no, your post is great!.

Tom O'Keefe
@tomokeefe1

Whether or not businesses choose to do it because it's smart for them, it's still the right thing to do. Give it 35-40 years and watch Moore's Law shape social media and whatever the next giant leap is (and there certainly will be many in our lifetimes). Then watch businesses that don't completely open up their doors fall in droves.

I completely agree. These conversations, good and bad, are going to happen whether or not you invite customers to talk. But if you open up that invitation, I believe you show faith in your product and service, you show your customers (and skeptics) you care about their feedback, and if you take that feedback and make something of it you embody the idea of "listening and engaging."

I love the idea! I'd probably frame the question differently, but I think it would work well. What do you think about it being a two-way street? Why shouldn't the restaurant employees get to tweet about idiot customers and poor tippers? That might keep everyone on their toes.

Leo Bottaryu00e2u0080u0099s last blog post..Client Service And Being Human

Dylan:
Thanks for thought. Difference between individual and brand is big, though. True, lots of people don't want to hear truth, but some of most valuable comments I've ever gotten were when someone told me I was a total jerk and why I had to change. But for business it's more about acknowledging that you are subject more and more to consumers controlling media. They will define and share ideas about your brand whether you want them to or not. Why not embrace it? And even encourage it? The old saying "If you can't beat them join them," still rings true.

Show me the people who agree with the following phrase when applied to themselves: "Even if it's a lie, I'd prefer to have everyone tell me what I want to hear about myself."

You don't need a focus group when you could have customers giving their candid opinions at the point of purchase for your brand. Rather than hunting down qualitative data, it would come pouring in almost faster than you can keep track. That's the tricky part--when you invite this method into your brand's life, make sure you have the power to follow every single comment. What are the most popular complaints? Start from there and work your way down the list toward total improvement.

Of course this path is not for the delusional-loving brand. Only those seeking truth and improvement can bear the weight of critical feedback and the responsive actions to follow.

When it comes to a product or service there's nothing blissful about ignorance.

This honest and thoughtful post will be open for criticism and derision on one hand. On the other you've started a powerful conversation. This is a great step in the right direction (especially from an agency stand point). I hope others weigh in as well.

Stuart Fosteru00e2u0080u0099s last blog post..B2B Companies: Stop Being Boring