If you’re a loyal Twitter user (or maybe even if you aren’t), it’s likely you’ve heard about the whole Dooce vs. the Maytag Corporation debacle.  If you haven’t, here’s a quick refresher: after she was allegedly given the run-around by the Maytag Corporation (including dreadful customer service) when her brand-new washing machine broke, Heather Armstrong (a.k.a. the popular blogger Dooce) took to her Twitter account to spread the word.  “That brand new washing machine from MAYTAG? That someone has been out to fix three times? STILL BROKEN. DO NOT BUY MAYTAG” and “Have I mentioned what a nightmare our experience was with Maytag? No? A TOTAL NIGHTMARE” were just a few of the tweets she twittered (tweeted?) to her nearly 1.2 million followers.  That’s right…Dooce isn’t your average consumer.  Her blog (www.dooce.com) garners hundreds of thousands of readers each month, making her one of the most successful bloggers in the country and she was recently named one of Forbes’ 30 most influential women in media.  Unfortunately for (and perhaps unbeknownst to) them, Maytag certainly pissed off the wrong consumer.

Needless to say, this whole debacle should be a lesson for the rest of us (read: companies, large and small!).  First and foremost, heed that no matter how many positive consumer product reviews or ratings you have, a single negative one (especially coming from someone with any clout) can completely negate everything else.  Second, it’s imperative that you deal with disgruntled and even furious customers with professionalism, respect, and most importantly, a willingness to rectify the situation.  Once news of Dooce’s unlucky purchase and subsequent headaches (nay, migraines) hit the Web (and boy did they hit hard!), it was only a matter of time before Maytag caught wind.  The manager of the executive offices of the Whirlpool Corporation called her up and the very next day her washing machine was fixed.  Moreover, a handful of other corporations (namely Bosch) stepped up and offered Dooce a free washing machine (which she donated to a local womens’ shelter).  Unfortunately, the fact that Maytag finally remedied the situation is completely overshadowed by the damaging events leading up to it.  It’s a hard lesson learned for the appliance giant, one that could have been avoided had Maytag adhered to one very simply service platform, something that all consumers seek: treat your customers with respect!  Apparently, it must be easier said than done.