Week 2 Part A: Communication Between Business & Consumer

Communication with business has changed drastically over the years. In the past, dissatisfied customers had fewer options to express their concerns. They could physically go to the business, write a letter, file a complaint with the better business bureau, or call the business directly. Business owners could address the customer concerns privately. Today, it is easier to get your complaint noticed publicly on social media platforms. Hashtags and platforms like Yelp make concerns or appreciation more visible.

It is so easy to review a business. Customers can write their reviews from their phones while they are still in the business. Because it is so easy, not all reviews are fair or accurate. No business is perfect and when something does go wrong a business should have an opportunity to make it right. If they fail, then a negative review is acceptable. When reading reviews, it is important to keep the situation in context. 

I have used Yelp since about 2010. I know there are other sites with reviews, but Yelp is my preferred platform. I have posted eleven positive (five-star reviews) and one negative review (one star). My positive reviews are mostly for small businesses and describe the service I received and names employees I felt went out of their way to provide an excellent experience. My one negative review was written from inside a restaurant when after 45 minutes no one had stopped by our table. When I flagged down the server, he was very rude. Ultimately, when I received my food, it was moldy and when I complained they took the plate back without apologizing and then ten minutes later brought me the same plate of food with the mold picked off. I don’t like to leave negative reviews, but my experience was bad.

I have personally been reviewed negatively on Yelp. It was when I was working at a large healthcare organization and a patient went to the wrong location for her preop. She said I gave her the wrong location. When she showed up at the wrong location, she yelled at me in front of everyone. I apologized, but there was nothing I could do to change the fact that she was in the wrong location. The doctor she needed to see wasn’t there. The doctor was able to do the preop over the phone, and her surgery went on as scheduled. I learned about the negative review from my supervisor later in the week. I was upset. She was an employee of the same healthcare organization. I tried to reach out and apologize (again), but I was never able to reach her. I always feel affronted by this experience, and honestly, I felt like I was treated unfairly.