Leave it to Social Media

Our current society has changed the way of communicating between companies and people. Nowadays social media allows an easier, more direct and effective communication between business and customers.

Written complaint forms to the chief or oral complaints to the manager are no longer options. The public component of social media made them way more effective than traditional methods, as they expose the companies to the public. However, it is important to have a strong link between the Social Media department and the company. Many times, social media are controlled by an external company, turning them into a sort of “apologizers” who only calm down situations temporarily. It is time to understand that reasonable complaints must have consequences for the Company. We have to take action and no longer send preset answers.

Let’s see an example:

On March 2015, I visited a very well known fast food restaurant in Quito, Ecuador. After buying something, I saw the restaurant did not have the right adaptations for people with disability to access in the same conditions. This happened again in, at least, three other Franchises. So… I tweeted the restaurant. After solving a little issue with my payment, I asked my question about the adaptations.

Here follows the conversation:

  • My other enquiry is Why Orellana and CCI’s restaurant are not accessible? The Ground floor is all right but the first floor is not.
  • Dear Jorge, all our restaurants have special access for people with disability. Despite one-floor restaurants or two floor restaurants, we have wheelchairs ramps in the access and specially designed bathrooms.
  • I am sorry to disagree. In Orellana’s second floor restaurant there is no elevator. The parking lots are nowhere close to the entrance. The main door is not automatic. Cashiers do not have Induction loop. There is no visible sign (or menu) in braille. Play area is also not accessible. There is no Typhlological tiles for guide or precaution guide … and that is only for one restaurant. For accessible I do not refer just to a ramp, I mean accessible for every kind of disability.
  • Dear Jorge, we are so sorry about the inconvenience you pointed out. Customers are and have always been a priority for (name of the restaurant). We are grateful for your observations and be sure we will notify the person in charge.
  • Thank you very much. If you need help, ask for it… It will be a pleasure to meet you. It is not expensive or difficult.
Deafness blog image. Leave it to communication Screenshot of the conversation with the restaurant (in Spanish).

Screenshot of the conversation with the restaurant (in Spanish)

As you can see, the Social Media department does its job by answering diligently to my enquiries. On the conversation, we can see they understand the situation: a client puts forward several substantiated complaints and, therefore, they will be delivered to the person in charge.

Unfortunately, it is possible this person did not know anything about this topic, did not want to know anything about it or, even, he/she never received those complaints. Because to date, May 12th, 2017, two years later, nothing has changed and no adaptation suggested has been done.

The proof is in the pudding, this is the current access ramp to the restaurant.

Deafness blog image. Leave it to Communication. Wheelchair access. Photo of the wheelchair acces of the restaurant.

There is no need to be a civil engineer to see this ramp does not meet or comply with any accessibility standard. The most scandalous fact is that this ramp costs as much as a proper one.

It is imperative we all understand disability issues are not just client complaints. We are talking about the inalienable right of thousands of people to access in equal conditions to a given place. If these situations are still managed and taken care of only by Social Media departments, we will never move forward.

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