Times are changing, and changing fast. I do not know of anyone who has stopped to talk to a manager everytime we have had lousy service somewhere. If we did I'm sure we would all be at our wits end, because service certainly is not what it used to be.............or.............are we all turning into our parents?
Anyways, my point is that the web is becoming way more prevalent in our everyday lives. It is a convenient medium for everything from ordering pizza to complaining about WSS or SPAL. Have you ever come home from shopping and complained to your better half about crappy service? Of course you have. And if you say no, we all know you are a liar. Coming on here is a way of venting, and getting things off of your shoulders.
Some people consider other board members friends, even though they have never met. They come here to talk with friends and let them know what their experiences are. And I for one believe that is a totally valid way of getting info out there. And I also believe that forums such as this can be an invaluable resource for business owners.
AlbertaDoe, just some food for thought, that you probably already know. 90% of people that have a bad experience will not complain to a manager. But they will tell all of their friends about it. IMO telling your buddies at the gym is no different than posting it on here.
And sometimes, when a customer is really ****ed off, he needs to cool off before he/or she talks to a manager. Then what do you do when the manager is a "dickbeater"?
k