Customer service start-up launches to help consumers resolve situations with companies

After United Airlines broke musician Dave Carroll’s guitar, he turned a bad situation into a good one. He wrote a song. It went so viral that United couldn’t help but see it and respond. He’s now made a career out of consumer advocacy.

The incident inspired Carroll and his co-founders to create the website Gripevine. Even if you can’t write a song, this site will help you get a response from companies you feel have wronged you.

Once you sign up, you can plant public gripes and invite your Facebook friends and Twitter followers to support you. You can explain your situation, even upload pictures, documents and YouTube videos to back it up.

Then Gripevine will take it from there. They’ll make sure your complaint gets to the right people, those who have the power to resolve the situation.

And when a company gets back to you, you can rate them.

Everyone has a story like Carroll. Now there’s a designated social platform for consumers to be heard.

(From our friends at CW33 News – Erin Harris)

To read the full media article & corresponding video click here.

Copyright © 2012, KDAF-TV

Says Dave: “I’m very excited to be working with Hay House and have been a fan of several of their authors for some time. They appreciate the depth of the United Breaks Guitars story and are eager to share all of its many aspects with people around the world. The best part is that this book will be an innovative distribution vehicle for my music as I’m going to be including several downloadable songs as part of the package and introduce the story of ‘who I am’ as an artist. The book will allow me to give context to each song in a meaningful way.”

The book, “United Breaks Guitars: The Power of one Voice in the Age of Social Media,”  scheduled to be released in May 2012, will take readers through the events that lead Dave from an unfortunate baggage incident with United Airlines to a Capitol Hill hearing room in Washington and around the world as a highly sought after keynote speaker.

Hundreds of interviews later, and after millions of online references about this ground breaking video in the worlds of customer service, branding, social media and self-empowerment Dave’s book will be the only comprehensive examination of the story, told first hand. How the story continues to unfold will also be explored.

Hay House is one of the worlds most respected publishing houses, best known for New Thought and Self-Empowerment works. Dave is a first time author who will be writing the manuscript himself and spending the rest of the summer completing what has been in development for several months.

Visit www.davecarrollmusic.com and www.hayhouse.com for more information.

Media Contact: Dave Carroll Music: (902) 860-0080 (Office)

The ‘United Breaks Guitars’ story has been back in the news recently following a series of posts by Gary Lemke of CRMAdvocate.com (Did it change everything? , Guitar Man back story & Wait a minute, Guitar Man), that provoked the ‘Guitar Man’ himself Dave Carroll to respond. Following Vladimir Dimitroff’s take on the public debate last week, Carroll has responded to MyCustomer.com to clear his name.

Hey Vladimir,

I welcome the opportunity to share some of my views on the cultural changes that are needed in business to stay relevant in the age of social media. Before that however apparently I need to clear up a few things on the personal side.

Your defense of Gary Lemke is admirable but unnecessary as he is a very intelligent man, doing a fine job defending himself. That being said, several people including me, judged his remarks about my integrity, my story, it’s implications and lessons learned to be out of line. I applaud his right to a contrary opinion of the relevance of United Breaks Guitars but drew the line at the sliver-of-a-hint that I didn’t have sufficient proof to justify going to YouTube with my story. That being said I have since had a pleasant conversation with Gary and he and I will be sharing ideas on how to improve customer experience, without an aggressive tone.

You did compare me to ‘terrorists’ and did differentiate between good customers who suffer in silence and the trouble making bullying brigade that you seem to feel I represent. Here’s what you said in your own words: “My argument (see in detail there) is that fear only motivates for discrimination by the wrong criteria, giving preferential treatment to ‘terrorist’ customers and still ignoring the good ones who suffer in silence”. It would be nice to think that everyone who reads your blog will hang on your every utterance and go looking to read more when you ask them to. The reality is that we don’t, so say it the way you mean it every time.

Then you said: “While serious practitioners have been working (against unspeakable resistance) to change business philosophies, processes, practices and motivations, the bullying brigade revel in their power to inflict damage.” Can I infer that you count yourself as a serious practitioner in the CS sphere and that I’m “a self proclaimed guru”, or is there something in a past blog that will tell me what you really mean? For the record I don’t claim to be an expert on customer service or social media, and some pretty intelligent people have said that we should run from anyone claiming to be a SM expert.

Again, I think you were talking about me but maybe I’m wrong. I am a customer who decided not to suffer in silence any longer. I told the truth about what happened in a song and people liked it because it resonated with them. If I’m not one of the good ones who suffer in silence, then I suppose that makes me something else? You can see why your words would imply this is the case.

Here’s some good news though… we agree on a few things! We agree that companies are embracing social media out of fear of what one customer can do to their brand. Many companies are not doing it out of love, I agree. That agreement we share implies another point of agreement: that companies are in fact embracing social media because of the way some customers have used social media to compel companies to give a fair customer service response. I would be one of them and I’m glad we agree on that as well.

I believe fear is a good motivator as a starting point but I contend that really embracing social media offers opportunities to transcend the confrontational relationship of distrust and fear between those who make things and those who buy them. You and I disagree on the value of fear in an organization but I’ll make the distinction between a healthy respect for the power of one person to share a bad experience and another person to maliciously set out to destroy a brand. Speed limits help ensure reckless drivers are kept in check. No one likes to get a speeding ticket but I think most people would agree that we’re all better off if the fear of tickets is keeping reckless behaviour in check. Likewise, reckless companies with exceptionally poor customer service can be kept in check simply by the reality that consumers are able to expose bad service like never before.

Re: good customers vs bad: You call a good customer one who might use their feet and switch brands? I’d rather have a bad customer who tweeted their displeasure with my product so that I could reach out them, apologize if necessary and win them over with great customer service. This is called the “customer service paradox”. Social media offers companies a chance to take an angry customer and turn them into evangelists for their brand (if companies choose to care enough and see the opportunity).

We also agree that a customer like me who uses social media to right a customer service issue will have better results than one who does nothing. I would also say the magnitude of the loss of 3 band members instruments on tour to Siberia warrants immediate attention. A lot rides on musicians arriving to a gig with their instruments (for themselves, ticket holders, promoters). While you seem to take issue with the fact that my problem may have gotten faster attention than someone who lost a suitcase full of clothes (and I’m not sure you’re right) , I embrace the fact that the system worked – and I think we should now work towards ensuring it work for everyone.

This week I had an angry customer who said they bought a digital download of my album but only half of each song would play before stopping. I put myself in his shoes, realized how frustrating that would be and offered to mail him a physical CD at no cost (even though the cost is nearly double). I’m looking into if the trouble could be on my end. In all likelihood it has to do with his computer, as no other similar complaints have come in, but the customer was blown away with how quickly I resolved it, made it better than “just right”, and this person will come back to buy again if he likes what he hears on the CD. Notice I didn’t interrogate him to establish if he was lying or looking for a freebie. I’ll weigh those risks against the likelihood that I can maybe create a long time fan of my music with one simple solution.

Vladimir, it would seem that you have a wealth of experience in the customer service market and it’s clear that you can support what you say. This new age of social media is a game changer though – and while some people are slower to adopt it or put it in perspective as just another tool to help companies deliver their promise, it will settle into a very good thing for all as it becomes more entrenched.

On a personal note l look forward to sharing news about the launch a new company I have co-founded called Gripevine that will help consumers and companies better use social media for the betterment of all. Since July 2009 my goal has been to help customers and companies resolve and avoid conflict. With Gripevine I am doing something about that. If you’d care to join me in focusing on solutions I’d be happy to continue a dialogue with you. Mudslinging however takes attention away from more important matters. I would hope we’re all too busy to engage in that.

Cheers,
Dave Carroll

Being thrust into the Customer Service market as a ‘voice of the customer in the social media age’ (which is often the way I am introduced at speaking engagements), has also presented some opportunities to recognize people, another passion of mine. When I wrote the song Everyday Heroes to recognize First-Responders http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/911song, I was trying to use my Social Media following and background working in emergency response to recognize the sacrifices these heroes make on a daily basis. Look into the eyes of a First Responder and one thing reaches you, you see that they are real people… just like you and me. I’m so passionate about this that I would often include the song in my presentations about my United story and gratefully, my clients have been accommodating.

It was at Genesys’ G-Force Prague this summer that the Everyday Heroes song met Customer Service Heroes, and I was thrilled to have provided a spark for this very worthy tribute to another kind of hero: the Customer Service hero. Since my wife works as an Escalation Manager for a major telecommunications company, I hear their stories nightly at the dinner table. But also, I encounter them as I travel the speaking circuit, in hotels, restaurants and airports. At car rental counters, credit card companies and travel agencies. I have no regrets about making the “United Breaks Guitars’ video, but I do take issue with the challenge some have made to my acting out a personal vendetta against someone, especially front-line customer service staff – or that I have harmed someone personally in some way as a result. My issue has never been with a particular individual; simply the policies established by companies they represent and have the (sometimes unfortunate) responsibility to enforce. I felt that the Customer Service Heroes program gave me an opportunity to correct whatever misperceptions where out there about my true motivations once and for all — and was honored to be a judge of the program.

Customer Service Heroes in Prague was an American Idol-like take on a contest to find EMEA’s best performing customer service agent. The three finalists could not have been more worthy of the title. Daulet Kunenov, of Telecom Express in Russia, went so above and beyond helping a customer find an express train in a pinch that the customer later named their child after him. Nuria Jimenez Remacho, from Catsa in Spain, spent hours going beyond the call of duty to help a customer address a technical issue with an antenna to get internet service in a remote region of Spain. And Ahmed Shalaby, of Vodafone Egypt (the overall winner) made an incredible effort to re-unite a lost child with their parents during the Egyptian Revolutions last spring. His story brought a standing ovation from the crowd and there were few dry eyes in the crowd when the applause stopped.

No matter what we do, who we are, everyone I have ever met needs and wants to be recognized for what they do. To be told ‘thank you’, to be recognized for the work they do, to feel a sense of pride in their work.

Whether you are leading a Customer Service organization or simply on the receiving end of great customer service, I encourage you to recognize people on the front line delivering service in every way you can. With supervisors, with managers, with executives. By writing letters, sending emails, making phone calls. It’s an easy thing to do, and it has an incredible impact on the morale of customer service staff. There’s no website or machine that can offer you an apology or correct a company’s mistake with a customer. At the end of the day it comes down to front-line people, Customer Service Heroes, who make the difference between a lost customer and a happy one.

Thanks for taking the time to honor them!

In response to your recent blog: Wait a minute, Guitar Man, CRM Advocate

Your view that I was somehow unjustified to resort to social media without undeniable proof that my guitar was damaged during my flight with United Airlines is myopic and it reflects a much wider issue.  By implying that the primary concern of big companies must be to protect themselves from the fraudulent activities of their thieving customers, you invigorate a corporate culture of distrust and deepen the chasm between consumer and corporation.  Not taking responsibility for undeniably poor service today is precisely how big corporations are putting their brands at risk in age of social media. The fear and suspicion you are spreading in  “your take” on my story is potentially very expensive to big companies. Just ask United Airlines.

You are welcome to your opinion that my story and those like them are not having a lasting effect in the customer service field but in my experience and in the opinion of respected authors, bloggers, professors, learning institutions, and thousands of consumers who have reached out to me to tell me so, you would be wrong. The fact that huge corporations are now investing in social media can often be traced back to my video and other individual consumers.

Just two weeks ago a major airline lost our band’s instruments on the way to Russia.  Using Twitter, I let them know and within minutes they began a search for our instruments and were able to get them to us an hour before we needed them…in Siberia.  Before social media I believe they would have arrived late, if at all.  The result was a customer service recovery for the airline instead of a nightmare for them and our band.

I now travel the world speaking to corporate audiences about the need to remove the silos within their own operations and to embrace social media as a way to better connect with customers. It is through relationship building with customers that companies will prosper in the age of social media.  What you seem to be selling (distrust and resentment towards one’s customers who refuse to accept poor experiences) puts a brand on the fast track to irrelevance.

I assume, Mr. Lemke, that by the tone of your posting that you make at least part of your living advising corporate clients. So do I and you should know that I’m passionate about this new aspect of my career that attempts to undo what you teach with the profound belief that this will benefit both consumers and corporations.

It’s also worth pointing out that in your attempt to inform your readers about the backstory you were wrong on the facts in a few places. I can give you a point-by-point breakdown in a separate email if you’d find it useful but your readers should know that even United Airlines doesn’t question whether the facts occurred as they did. The airline chose to avoid compensating me by defaulting to their policy of requiring a claim to be opened within 24 hours of an incident  (something I couldn’t do for good reason). They have since apologized for that and have even paid me a license fee.  Why?  To pay for their right to show my video as a training tool to improve customer service with their airline and to improve the profitability of their operations.  Again, it would appear that even United would disagree with you about the power of one person to make a change in the age of social media. The fact that you have used me and my story for three consecutive blogs to raise the attention of your own work implies that perhaps even you don’t believe what you are saying.

I maintain that differences of opinion make for healthy debate but I would appreciate it if your facts were accurate with regards to me and my story and that, when speaking of me, you use my name and not the impersonal avatar-like moniker you created.  Dave or Dave Carroll, or even Mr. Carroll,if you’d prefer, are fine.  “Guitar Man” disguises the reality that there is a real individual behind my video; a man who values the integrity behind his family name much more than a $3500 Taylor guitar, and that’s saying something!

Yours truly, Dave Carroll
United Breaks Guitars

The tour will take place between October 1^st & 10^th, including stops in Norilsk and Moscow.

The popularity of United Breaks Guitars was the foundation of this invitation and the band is thrilled to be making their first visit to Russia.

The band members on the tour will include Dave Carroll, Drummer Julian Marentette, Guitarist Chris Iannetti and Bassist Mike Hiltz.

In 2010 Carroll released a music video, ‘Everyday Heroes’ honouring First Responders at their best and demonstrating the promises made by these individuals to answer calls for help. He also created a website, 911Song.com, as place for First Responders, their friends and family and the people who may have benefited from the assistance of a First Responder, to join in community.

Individuals were invited to share their own ‘Everyday Hero’ stories on 911Song.com and in partnership with CAA and Transat Holidays, an award was created to recognize a deserving First Responder with a trip for two to Punta Cana. Kyle’s Mother, Georgine Stewart-Malone submitted the winning story titled ‘My Hero, My Son’ and was among many submissions to the site.

Says Dave: “Congratulations to Kyle for earning the trip with Sons of Maxwell to the Dominican Republic. Based on the moving submission made by his mother and my conversation with him on the phone, I’m convinced Kyle embodies the spirit and integrity behind the First Responder community. A nurse, a paramedic, and volunteer fire fighter; 911 is this guys home phone number!”

Georgine’s story about Kyle, ‘My Hero, My Son,’ can be read at: http://www.davecarrollmusic.com/2010/10/my-hero-my-son/

Individuals interested in joining Sons of Maxwell in Punta Cana this April, are welcome contact CAA for booking details at 1-800-561-8807.

Media Contact: Dave Carroll Music: (902) 860-0080 (Office)

Photo credit: Photos (c) Georgine Stewart-Malone

Each year the CCA acknowledges companies or individuals who show an outstanding commitment to customer service in cities across North America. This year will be Halifax’s inaugural CCA event. Past winners include Ted Turner (CNN), Daryl Sutter (Calgary Flames), Julie Payette (Astronaut), Jan Arden, George Stroumboulopoulos and Jim Balsillie (Blackberry).

Says Dave: “My main business concern has always been that the people who pay to see me perform or buy my music feel that they received more than they paid for. I believe that this is honour is a ‘win’ for the whole music industry because it shows that music fans also see themselves as customers, and if they see themselves as customers then, we as musicians, can win new fans with great customer service. This award proves, once again, that simply caring about  your fans is the foundation of a long career.”

The CONSUMERS’ CHOICE AWARD is an initiative of CONSUMERS’ CHOICE INSTITUTE (USA) and CONSUMERS’ CHOICE INSTITUTE (CANADA), which has retained a leading independent research firm to conduct a survey in major U.S. and Canadian cities. It is unique in North America, as the winners are determined by consumers and not by a panel of judges. It covers a broad range of categories of interest to the public and to the business community. Their purpose is to publicly identify those establishments which have been voted by consumers as being their choice for excellence.

Visit www.ccaward.com for more info.

Media Coverage:

Timmins Daily Press: “Dave Carroll’s career flies in new directions” Click Here

Halifax Chronicle Herald: Consumers love Carroll – United Breaks Guitars touched a chord and fans vote songwriter man of the year” Click Here

Says the Momentum Group: “This unrivaled line-up of speakers will take the stage at Casino New Brunswick. They walk the talk and have shattered traditional marketing strategies to create their own super-brands. From social media and visual marketing, to merchandising and self-branding, this one-night dinner event will be the most intense and educational three hours that Atlantic Canada’s brand community will ever see.”

In July of 2009, Dave released a music video relating his experience with United Airlines which went viral and became a simultaneous international news story reaching well over 100 million people. In the process he has developed a strong brand and a platform for his back catalogue of music and changed the way some of the world’s largest brands approach customer service.

Says Dave: “Gene Simmons is an undisputed master of branding and self promotion and so I’m really looking forward to meeting him and honoured to share his stage in Moncton. My story is, first and foremost, a “music story” so the fact that I will be able to add some performance to my presentation is an added bonus.”

Ticket and table info can be obtained through Carolyn Collier at the Momentum Group
Email: Carolyn@gainmomentum.com
Phone: 1-506-854-8759

Media Coverage:

Times & Transcript: “Songwriter to speak at brand event – Dave Carroll hits it big with United Breaks Guitars”  Click Here

Times & Transcript: “KISS rocker to headline brand event – Gene Simmons to speak on branding yourself and branding your business”   Click Here

Times & Transcript: “Major event revealed today – Atlantic Brand Confabulation highlighted by reality TV star; details to be announced this afternoon”  Click Here

Everyday Heroes Filming - Photo (c) 2010 Brent McCombs

First of all “Everyday Heroes” is a song that honours all First Responders.  As a songwriter, the challenge with every song is to capture the listener’s attention in a way that allows them to paint their own picture while sharing a central message to which we can all relate.  The message of this song is not that we should honour only two branches of the First Responder community.  If that’s what you take away, then watch it again and listen closely.  The message is found in the chorus and the bridge of most songs, where the melody and energy are most dynamic. It’s in the chorus where you say: “ok folks if you’ve been listening so far, pay close attention now cause this is what I’m really talking about”.   In “Everyday Heroes” the Chorus says:

“Cause they made a promise and here they come
Someone hurtin’ called 9-1-1
And the siren’s sayin’ hope is on the way
There’s a hero racing to help a stranger today”

The Bridge says:

“When People in the world need saving the saviors who answer the call
Don’t get paid anymore for danger or get to pick the one’s they want
They just go to where the few will go and maybe lay it all on the line
As they do their job, and do it one more time.”

That’s what this song and project is about: First Responders answering the call. In songwriting you support the message in a chorus using ‘verses’ to show examples of what you’re trying to say.  With “Everyday Heroes” I chose two possible examples with a Fire and Police scenario but they are only two possible illustrations. I might have written a whole verse about Paramedics and the good work they do but that would have made the song 6.5 minutes long and not have made it better or any more clear. It was my artistic decision that the song was done and I had accomplished the goal as it stands today. I have found that every time I hear a song that tries to be politically correct and be all things to all people in equal measure it fails, and for me to be fair to everyone I would have to have written two more verses, one for Dispatch and one for Paramedics. The song would have been 8.5 minutes long, the video double the cost and few would have watched it. For those who did, none would have enjoyed it.

The strength of the “Everyday Heroes” lies in the fact that anyone who has been touched by the work of any First Responder branch will identify with that arm when they hear those lyrics.  If you’ve watched Paramedics come to your house and save your baby, regardless of what images are in the video you will think of EMT’s with the gratitude they deserve.  The same could be said if Fire Fighters saved your home, if Police captured a violent criminal in your neighbourhood or if Dispatch talked you through a stressful situation waiting for help.

I understood going into this that some tensions exist between branches of the First Responder community but my song and its intent is about showing gratitude to all and I refuse to let politics get in the way of my intent and ambition with this project.  911Song.com is meant to be a meeting place to share stories and show gratitude for all First Responders. I invite anyone to share an outstanding first responder story for others to read in the hopes of giving more context to my message. If some EMT’s are feeling left out of this project or concerned that they are viewed as less important than their 9-1-1 partners the answer is not to boycott the video. The answer is to support it! The answer is to participate and share a variety of great stories that show others all the important contributions you make. 911Song.com can be an outlet to educate others about what you do. In my experience though, the EMS contribution is highly respected and valued by the average person and the comments I receive from people who see the video support that. With the little explicit attention to EMT’s in “Everyday Heroes,” most people who write-in mention EMT’s explicitly in their message of gratitude demonstrating that the song does what it’s supposed to do. I’m happy to announce as well that CAA and Transat Holidays have offered a free trip that we will award to a deserving First Responder to join Sons of Maxwell in Punta Cana this April.  Nominate that person by sharing their story on www.911Song.com.  It’s open to EMT’s and all other First Responders. Click here to share your “Everyday Hero story.”

“Everyday Heroes” came about through a challenge from a friend to write a song that captures the essence of the 9-1-1 system and the people who work it. I liked what I wrote and recorded it. After performing it live the response was so strong that someone with the ability to fund a video offered to finance it completely because he felt the message was important enough to share with others. I believe that too so I have paid for the creation of a website to support it and devoted much of my time and energy to the cause. There are enough negative, angry messages in music these days and I’m trying to offer a worthy alternative to those songs. My hope is that people will hear the song, watch the video and focus on what the song accomplishes and less on what it may not but 911Song.com remains a place where all reasonable comments are welcome.