The customer’s revenge
Ever felt on the point of exploding with rage and frustration when a faceless bureaucracy keeps you hanging on the line listening to inane music, only to cut you off just before you get to the top of the queue, or refuses to deal with a minor request because ‘that’s not how the system works’?
Dave Carroll, a Canadian musician, didn’t just get mad, he got musical and wrote a catchy tune, accompanied by a comic video, when his guitar was broken by careless baggage handlers on a United Airlines flight:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo
After a year of trying to get the airline to accept responsibility, he posted the film on Youtube and it’s now had over 4 million hits. And you know what? United have offered to pay for the repairs. Not only that, but the song is now one of the most downloaded iTunes in Canada. Internet revenge is sweet.
What do you think of ‘My Bank Took My Money and Left It in Limbo for More Than Two Weeks Before Paying It to Barclaycard Late’? Could do with a little more work perhaps.
July 31, 2009 - 9:33 pm
I think it has legs Judy – if only in the sentiment! Why is it that corporations can do exactly as they wish while the common man & woman struggle to make the usually very fair point!!?
No answers here I’m afraid….All suggestions/solutions will be gratefully recieved!
August 1, 2009 - 12:12 pm
I think this case shows that big business may be used to doing whatever it likes and ignoring its customers’ needs in favour of its own processes, but in fact those days are over. David Carroll apparently told United Airlines he would put 3 songs on Youtube if they continued to ignore his complaint, and their response was something like ‘Whatever…’ I think they might just regret that arrogance now. No doubt they have a huge marketing budget, but now all over the world, whenever United is mentioned, people will instantly be singing ‘United breaks guitars’. I believe the second song is due out soon!