Stephen Murphy, a reporter I worked with many years ago, just announced on Facebook that he got banned from a corporation’s Facebook fan page.
I swear I’m not making this up. He said he got banned from Chipotle Mexican Grill’s page for sticking up for his friend Ryan Madrid, who got banned for making a FB comment the company’s social media moderator apparently found unpleasant.
There was a discussion on the Chipotle fan page about how great it would be if the Mexican chain would cater weddings (they don’t). Well, Stephen’s friend commented that serving Chipotle at a wedding would be less than classy. So, Chipotle’s FB moderator “Joe” banned him for saying that.
Stephen, in turn, commented that a company shouldn’t ban customers who make slightly negative comments. Suddenly, he too, was banned, something he said he totally didn’t see coming.
The thread has since been deleted by Chipotle and reduced to this (as stated by the original poster): “I wish you guys catered. I’d love to serve Chipotle at my wedding!”
The odd thing is, in Stephen’s comment on the original wedding thread, he said in response to his friend Ryan’s comment that he thought having Chipotle at a wedding would be “amazing.” He also told me said he loves Chipotle and eats there several times a week.
The chain has a loyal following with over 1.6 million Facebook “Likes” and Joe the moderator is right in there interacting with the continuous stream of commenters. That’s a smart move on Chipotle’s part; that’s the way to build a fan base. I’m actually surprised by how few companies actually engage users.
But boy did “Joe” blow this one. Short of obscenities, threats or in-fighting, what corporation would ban a customer from a page? Is it because they have so many “Likes” Chipotle feels a few banned users won’t be missed?
The whole point of social media – especially for a corporation -- is to get the conversation going. Granted, some of that conversation might not be positive. But even the negative is useful for a company to know.
Companies usually bend over backwards to get an angry customer to return. In this case, the company is booting the customer out simply for having an opinion. It doesn’t make any sense.
It’s time to find a new place to buy a burrito.
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Comments
I think some companies talk a good game about wanting feedback, but like most people they only want to hear the good stuff.
BTW, it's great to see you here today with a new post!
Positive feed back. It's their page, there to
promote the company, so, me... don't see a huge issue.
I was banned, tarred, and feathered at Bank of America's
And no, companies (most) don't want real feedback, they just say that so you'll "like" them on FB!!
Rated!
@Sam, you make a good point. All these corporate "likes" are rather maddening. The consumer gets nothing in return.
@Deborah, Social media is so powerful, it's hard to believe big companies don't have their policies together. I agree with you that the moderator in this case was likely untrained and Chipotle execs would've acted differently.
@Tink @Bell, Yeah, tis true, we all just want to be liked. Rare is the person or corporation who wants to hear the truth. Bell, that's pretty funny about the restaurants. I'd be afraid to go back for fear the cook would spit in my food.
http://stephenamurphy.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/chipotle-you-sadden-me/
@Gracie I didn't know that about Quick Check. It is what smart companies do. With social media, there are so many opportunities. Hey, without us, where would they be? Out of business!
I also went to a wedding in college that was 'catered' by Kentucky Fried Chicken. (the parents cleaned the restaurant out of food) It was not taken very well, actually either one, because the people bringing rather expensive gifts were cheesed because they didn't feel they got their monies worth. How cheap, but I did go to a wedding of a fabulously wealthy couple, who cut so many corners on the reception that people left early, and mad. The cake was inedible. The 'food' was horrible and made some people sick. They had a DJ that was a douchbag asshole. They ended up leaving in the middle of the reception too because their cheap airfare required them to leave on a Saturday and *POOF* they left. No one knew where they went for the longest time. It was a cash bar too.They divorced a few years later and we got the invitation for her second marriage and passed... *shrug*
But, yeah, that's the way these new corporations mishandle their 'social interchange'. Sometimes you are lucky to get banned. I've tried to stay above the friending of corporations and restaurants and things like that. I mean, after the Big Lebowski, what else is there... ;-)
@Oryoki, It turns out the company did have the moderator apologize and the "offenders" were reinstated as Facebook fans and offered free burritos (which they declined). I remember when my sister livd in Bisbee, the Mexican food there was way different than anything resembling what we consider Mexican. She's a great Mexican cook due to living there.