Week 3: Part 1

I have certainly experienced difficulty when communicating with a business. Automated phone systems, or auto-generated email responses are the first two that come to my mind. I prefer not to call companies, especially when I know I will have to jump through hoops to get a real person on the phone. I tend to resort to email communication or trying to resolve issues through online accounts when available. The only downsides I've experienced with email communication are the delays in response, and impersonal generic responses. Social media has helped improve the customer to business communication over the years. I have actually gone to sites like Facebook and Instagram and found the comments sections very helpful. At times, other customers have voiced their complaints or issues, and that provided me with resolve for my issue or prevented me from having to deal with the same thing. 

I have had a lot of positive experiences online when communicating with businesses. For example, I once ordered a shelving unit for my guest bathroom but when I put it together as per the instructions, it was not stable. I messaged the company thru their Facebook page and they replied within hours! They had me send a picture of my shelf and they noticed I was missing some parts. They sent out the missing parts and I received them a few days later. I'm not sure what happened, maybe I accidentally threw away some pieces, or maybe they were never in my box. Regardless, they were quick to resolve the issue and very nice about it. I can imagine that many other people have had similar experiences with companies through social media because you get to send photos and show rather than just trying to explain. 

Another positive experience I had with an online company was after making a purchase, I was contacted via email to make sure that the battery worked properly with my laptop. After I replied and left a good review, they were so thrilled that I left a review that they requested to send me a free mobile power bank. Not all companies will give out free stuff, and most can't, but I really appreciate a freebie that is something I can really benefit from. The thoughtfulness, attention to detail, and them ensuring customer satisfaction made my experience positive.