United Airlines Breaks Customers Heart

by Salim BuenoFeb 03, 2010

Brands that treat customers with love and respect create Brand Lovers. Brand Lovers are the most valuable customers because they buy from the brand more often and create new customers through positive word of mouth.

Brands like Southwest Airlines embrace their Brand Lovers and take every opportunity to show them respect and Love. By not following the airline industry trend of baggage fees Southwest Airlines demonstrated respect for their customers. Southwest let their brand lovers know they were not going to get nickel and dimed.

But not all brands have Brand Lovers. In fact some brands treat their customers so bad they create Brand Haters. Brand Haters are not afraid to talk negatively about your brand. In fact if you upset your customers enough they will go out of their way to rally against your brand.

Recently in a meeting with Salomon Sredni, Chief Executive Officer of TradeStation Group the topic of Brand Lovers and Brand Haters came up. He shared with the group an awesome example of what happens when you treat your customers with no love or respect.

Dave Carroll has every right to be angry. As a musician his guitar is not only his livelihood but his love. When United Airlines decided to throw around guitars and other bags they stopped treating their customers with love and respect. Dave Carroll’s song “United Breaks Guitars” has gain popularity not only because it is a catchy tune but because other people have had a bad experience with United Airlines.

The song has been viewed more than 7.5 million times in the past month on YouTube. Web2.0 has given customers a bigger bullhorn and they aren’t afraid to use it. There are over 25,000 comments on the video with customers who also feel like Dave Carroll about United Airlines. Here are some of my favorite comments.

Comments on United Breaks Guitars

Customers take note of how you treat them and they will speak up against you. If you break their heart they will break yours.

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