"Finding the Pain"

According to Kerpen, "you must be willing to embrace the good with the bad"(p.75).He suggest that if an organization cannot handle the negative comments that may potentially surface, that organization is not ready for social media(Kerpen, 2011).He also suggest that social media comments are the "new comment cards"(p.76).

The biggest take-away was the implementation of the do-not-delete rule, unless of course offensive, profane, or threatening language is used(Kerpen, 2011). Deleting comments could lead towards creating a fire storm and social media domino effect that could result in worst circumstances than the initial negative comment alone. Kerpen gives the example of "Johnny Customer", where he demonstrates the ricochet effect of not addressing the issue of the consumer and how this approach makes the consumer feel de-valued as a customer.

Kerpen also suggest that no response is also a response because an organization may be afraid of the giving the comment to much credibility(Kerpen,2011). Kerpen recommends that quick responses are the best responses; it sends a message that "you're an organization that handles matters promptly" (p.79).

If a company is struggling with a poor versus good comment ratio, I would recommend that they first take a look at their internal and external operations. If the bad comments are outweighing the good, this may be a sign that there are some issues occurring throughout the organization that are now manifesting themselves in the public. For example: if a freight/shipping company continually receives negative comments about efficient delivery, a company can respond all day in a helpful tone to the comment. However, if the problem is not fix at the core of the organization nothing will change the experience of the consumer.


Listening is where you "find the pain". Consumers have needs, and if you listen intently without any pre-meditative motives, you can often find the route of the problem and begin to piece together a solution. It's only through listening that a company can discover the deepest desire of the consumer. Once this information is received than a plan can be implemented to create a better sense of value for the consumer. Kerpen recommends that a company formulate a social media strategy plan in an effort to combat the criticism is the most effective way to managing the social media relationships that are created between a company and it's consumers(Kerpen, 2011). Making listening an element in this strategy is crucial.


Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable social media: How to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on facebook (& other social networks). New York: McGraw-Hill.