Complainers are Good

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by Kevin Nunley

There is an old rule in media that the more popular you are, the more people you will have complaining about you.

It's not unusual for polls to show that the same TV newscaster or radio DJ ranks as both the city favorite and the most disliked.

The person or organization that doesn't get any complaints probably isn't getting noticed by the public.

As soon as your name starts becoming well known in your town or industry, somebody will start to complain.

Complainers can be a good source of new customers and supporters. People don't complain unless they are mentally involved. They don't gripe unless they care.

Many times it is a short jump from complaining to satisfaction. All you have to do is show you are willing to see things from the complainer's point of view.

You may not be in the mood to apologize, offer a refund, or add an extra bonus to the deal. But this is exactly the kind of thing that starts good word-of-mouth.