One of the things we’re often advised to be wary of is that social media puts us in the spotlight 24/7. As businesses, we need to always be on and aware that our customers have an “in” to airing their views in a public place.

Wise words. It works both ways, though.

Customers – or potential customers – are also always on when it comes to thinking ahead and making decisions. We check companies out; we see how they position themselves in public; how they react and deal with queries and situations that we, as future customers, might encounter.

Which made this exchange today (highlighted at the end of the post) really stand out.

Reading through the exchange, two things came across. First, whether information is incorrect or not, lambasting a customer (and therefore a stakeholder in your business) never comes across well. Second, would I want to be a customer of a business that responds this way to a point of view (misled or not)?

Since potential customers don’t wear signs over their heads that say they may be interested in our products or services, we can’t tell who is and who isn’t just a passing visitor. Especially online, where there’s no physical store to walk into and grab a salesperson to talk to.

So, if everyone is a (potential) customer, how are you presenting yourself?

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