Lots of companies have their own way of treating negative feedback about their brand. Some companies, such as Amazon, welcome it; others simply don’t give their customers much chance to leave any, like Sky. It seems that bad feedback can really hit a nerve with some companies, and this is especially true when it’s published on platforms like review sites and social media, visible for all to see. It’s surprising the lengths that some companies will go to, to prevent such feedback from denting their precious reputation. Some have been known to draw customers into contracts before doing business with them that include anti-disparagement clauses, meaning the customer is prohibited from publically posting anything negative about the brand afterwards. Other examples include promising rewards or discounts in exchange for “positive” reviews; ‘purchasing’ positive reviews, or authoring positive reviews oneself through the creation of fake user accounts. These bad habits are not only ingenuous and deceptive; they also do little to quell bad feedback, and much less for the company’s overall image. Below are just some of the effects of these incredibly poor practices.
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