BRANDING: When Your Brand Really Tick-Tick-Ticks You Off.

Once upon a time, complaints were limited to letter writing campaigns or standing in line at the Customer Complaint Department. Fortunately for consumers (and maybe not so fortunately for marketers), the internet has made it possible for just about anyone to have a voice and be heard — fueled on by the power of social media.

Case in point: Anticipating the birth of our third child, my wife and I finally succumbed to the promise of convenience the mighty minivan extended, and purchased a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country late last year. Highly praised in reviews in the Wall Street Journal and Business Week (among others), we were initially delighted with our purchase — until, about a month into ownership, we returned our car to the dealership, complaining of a loud tick tick tick that grated grated grated on you for roughly two minutes, whenever you turned the car off.

It was then that we were told that this was a new catalytic converter issue, that it was a normal sound for an automobile (huh?), and that Chrysler had no plans for a recall, or a repair, or even a "sorry."

As a branding and marketing professional, not to mention someone who a) had previously purchased three Chrysler products (Jeeps) over the past 10 years and been a loyal, happy, referring and obviously repeat customer and b) had spent good money on the Town and Country, I found that simply unacceptable.

In inquired of the dealership again, speaking to management. Nothing. I phoned Chrysler and was promised a call back. Nada. I phoned Chrysler again and my complaint was lodged — only to be followed up with nothing.

So I turned to the internet, launched a blog (view it here), founded the Chrysler Tick-Tick-Ticked Off Club and am now spreading the gospel of the almighty dissatisfied buyer, in the hopes that the many others who have filed similar complaints on various auto review websites will join me in raising awareness and forcing Chrysler to recall and repair this obvious, embarrassing screw-up that, while they call it normal, most certainly will be corrected in their 2009 models.

Lesson for marketers? You don't necessarily control your brand anymore. Your customers do, by their experience and their ability to share that experience with others. So make sure that experience (and that sharing) is positive.

Source: NOISE
Reported by: John Sprecher