Twitter Delivers Supreme Justice for the Average Joe Consumer

Twitter is a fascinating technological tool: part party line, part search engine, part trend tracker. It’s also a lot like a Ferrari. You can’t fully appreciate it after a mere test drive. You need time behind the wheel – pushing buttons, exploring features and taking it full-throttle on the open road. That’s what reveals the truth about power, functionality, engineering and design.

I slid behind the wheel of Twitter six months ago so I could tap into conversations with high-caliber professionals and peers. I fully expected to be inspired and entertained. What I did not expect was to witness to the rise of a real-time system of free enterprise checks and balances…with a sphere of influence that spans the globe.

Twitter has reshaped public relations with a power-packed subscriber list and audience of influential consumer groups, journalists, political officials, celebrities and corporate executives. And Twitter has given a voice to the average Joe for the first time since corporations dropped the iron curtain of automated customer service a few decades ago.

I remember the first time I encountered an automated system instead of a voice on the other end of the phone line. “This is the end of customer service as we know it,” I thought – and so did millions of other people.

Public outcry for human interaction led some to put a person at the end some automated odysseys. Unfortunately call center reps are programmed to be as ineffective as touch-tone systems. I feel for them, though. They’ve got draconian rules on one end, emotionally charged customers on the other end, and no power to exercise independent judgment in between. Ever try to get a customer service person to abandon their scripts? Whoo-ee.

It’s a sad state of affairs, but we have more grey matter than other mammals, and we’ve harnessed it to learn get-the-operator shortcuts and code-words like “escalate the case” when we’ve exhausted negotiations. But unless you have hours or more to invest (in my case a year with American Airlines), the odds of a satisfactory resolution are weighted against the underdog.

But now we have Twitter. And early-adopter businesses such as Southwest Airlines have seen how it provides checks and balances for internal operations and external relationships. Twitter is an early-warning system for impending public relations crises, and it may help uncover the size and source of a system failure.

Case in point: I ordered flowers online from Teleflora the Saturday before Mother’s Day. I knew I’d pay a premium for the transgression of dragging my feet and waiting for last-minute deals. I was prepared for that.

I chose the arrangements for both my mother and mother-in-law and worked through pages of online forms. Just before I crossed the Confirmation Page finish line, I was abruptly re-routed by an error code that implied I was crazy to expect same-day delivery… but might I agree to Sunday delivery instead?

Absolutely, I clicked, and slogged through the forms a second time, only to fail again. Sunday delivery was an option on Screen 2, but the payment processing Page 4 disagreed. Apparently 6 million other Americans were ahead of me in line for Sunday delivery. I started over again and cheered when Monday delivery was approved for both orders. I would not have survived a third taunting.

You can imagine my surprise, four days later, when I received an e-mail stating that the flowers were not delivered to my mother. No phone call to the recipient, or me — an e-mail with an option to reply online or call an 800 number. I chose the latter and learned, after much time of the phone, that neither arrangement had been delivered — three days late and counting — and I was offered a litany of excuses.

People spend too much time developing excuses instead of solutions. Nobody wants to know why you dropped the ball — especially when the game involves little old ladies or anyone’s mother. All we want to know is that you delivered a win. Period.

The Teleflora rep promised flowers THAT DAY with an apology note (or an explanation). She offered a 50 percent refund and a phone call when the delivery was confirmed.

Wednesday and half of Thursday passed. We called again and learned the flowers still hadn’t been delivered. This time we were told the flowers might make it by Friday afternoon and the rep offered to take 20 percent (not 50 percent) off the original bill.

I assured Teleflora that Texas and Kentucky have people with flowers and driver’s licenses who are willing to take money in exchange for delivery. We eventually reached another agreement, which I didn’t trust. I called a florist 3 blocks from my mother-in-law’s house and had another arrangement delivered that day. Successfully.

Next, I logged on to Twitter and started micro-blogging about the experience — and what do you know! Within 24 hours I had a senior vice president with Teleflora on the phone. She was absolutely terrific, and as nice and appropriately mortified as she could be, especially now that it was Friday afternoon and my mother still had not received her flowers.

The executive personally took my case, which she fought nobly on my behalf for three solid days. I am happy to report that the flowers reached my mother yesterday, after a 10-day-long odyssey past the Port of Mother’s Day.

Thanks to Twitter, (and to Teleflora for having the good sense to be ON Twitter), I found Jennifer Simms, who had the compassion and authority to personally solve my problem.

It’s a shame, really, that customer service is languishing in an age of technology and advanced human understanding. It’s not just that automated systems that have brought us down. It’s that organizations have lost sight of the fact that people matter.

Employees are not just tools with numbers assigned to them. They are an organization’s greatest resource — people with hearts and minds who can be effective ambassadors of goodwill if given the freedom and authority to do what’s right. Employees should be allowed to exercise independent thought and solve problems in real time on the front lines with customers.

One U.S. company is a model of success in customer relations: Southwest Airlines. Their philosophy and standards of practice are so impressive that they have a single-digit employee turnover rate. In fact, you’d have an easier time getting into Harvard than you would finding a job opening there.

Southwest Airlines gets it. And they’ll get it whether Twitter lives long and prospers or fizzles out tomorrow. The proof is in the pudding — in this case the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

This week Southwest Airlines was ranked Number One by the ACSI, and they got there because they value people, support and trust their employees — and much more.

“We work from the mantra that we’re in the Customer Service business, we just happen to fly airplanes,” said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines’ vice president of communications and strategic outreach. “It is that focus on the Customer that centers our efforts. We want to use each interaction with a Customer to win their hearts and minds and earn their repeat business. We capitalize the “C” in Customer and the “E” in Employee for a reason. It’s a daily symbolic reminder that it’s the People–our Customers and our Employees–who make Southwest different and successful.”

Linda spoke to my public relations class at St. Edward’s University this spring, and after one student commented about how many things Southwest Airlines seems to do right — and better than everyone else — Linda kidded that her company could probably expand into the consulting business for a number of their successful innovations (customer service, social media, public relations, and more). For the sake of consumers everywhere, I wish they would.

So here’s to you, Southwest Airlines, for earning yet another gold star the honest way. America LUVs you.

About Charlie Fern

Strategic Communications Consultant
Owner, Principal of Charlie Fern Ink, LLC

Charlene “Charlie” Fern has spent 26 years in communications — as a journalist in Texas in California; and as a press attaché and media advisor for elected officials and business executives in Texas, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey, as an adjunct professor of public relations, and as the founder and principal of a strategic communications consultancy, which is now in its 13th year.

Ms. Fern has worked as speechwriter in the Texas Governor’s Office, the Texas Attorney General’s Office, and the White House. She served as director of executive communications for Merck & Co., Inc (then the world’s second-largest pharmaceutical company). She has also taught public relations at the university level.

In 2003 Ms. Fern launched Charlie Fern Ink, LLC, a privately owned strategic communications consultancy. Her clients include musicians and celebrities, professional athletes, executives, diplomats, opinion leaders, global and government leaders, elected officials, corporate boards and CEOs, non-profit founders and leaders, and other writers, public speakers and public relations professionals. She provides strategic communications counsel in a broad range of industries including music and entertainment, health and medicine, government, education, high-tech startups, small businesses, national franchises, Fortune-500 to Fortune 10 companies, government agencies, trade associations, advocacy groups and non-profit organizations.

She has volunteered as a board member or advisor for causes including the Austin Children’s Shelter; Friends of Texas Public Schools (she co-founded and served as a board member for this statewide non-profit through 2008); A Happy Healthy Child; They Often Cry Outreach (TOCO); Mobile Loaves and Fishes; the Wright House Wellness Center and the Texas Book Festival. She has served as Chairwoman of the Texas Book Festival’s Children’s Entertainment Committee in 2009, 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Ms. Fern has served as an adjunct professor of public relations at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, and she continues to lecture at colleges, universities, conferences and forums on subjects including leadership, the art of storytelling as a global business tool, writing and communications in life and management, effective leadership, public relations, strategic engagement and deployment of personal and professional communications, social media, event planning, and corporate, politics and government communications.

Charlie Fern Ink, LLC, is a strategic communications consultancy that provides services including public relations and publicity, tour and media management, strategic message development and deployment, media relations and media training, executive coaching, speech writing and public speaking coaching, event planning, social media strategy; cross-platform branding, and professional writing and editing with areas of expertise that include international relations, business, and diplomacy; government, education, non-profit/advocacy, music and entertainment, healthcare, biotech, technology, social media, entrepreneurial/startup and general professional communications. She presently lives and works from her home studio in Austin, Texas.

Accolades

“This is like a big Hollywood party,” exclaimed NBC’s Chris Matthews after the entertainment at the Kuwaiti embassy dinner Tuesday celebrating Marvin Hamlisch’s birthday. Truth be told, it was actually more like a night on Broadway. What’s not to love: Hostess Rima Al-Sabah’s dinner … and Ambassador Salem Al-Sabah’s witty speech, incorporating titles of the honoree’s songs (“Nobody Does It Better,” “Ordinary People,” “Sunset, Lollipops and Rainbows”) introduced the show.

— The Washington Times, May 18, 2007

“Charlie Fern has the ability to take complex information and quickly turn it into meaningful material for the general reader. Her greatest talent is in her ability to create memorable language and with her assistance over the years she has opened many doors for me to be of greater service to this community.

“As a non-profit executive director her assistance has allowed me to effectively communicate with the media, government leaders on every level, grantors and big money donors. As a result there are hundreds of people in Austin living an enhanced quality of life. Whether it is an abused child, an individual living with HIV/AIDS or the hungry, Charlie Fern knows just how to craft the argument to get the attention of your audience. I could not recommend her more highly.”

– Susan Wills, MS, LPC Executive Director, the Wright House Wellness Center.

“Charlie Fern has a lot to offer a professional communicator. Her expertise in platform building and speech preparation helped our team provide a top-notch product to our CEO in a timely manner.”

– Linda Rutherford, Vice President, Public Relations and Community Affairs Southwest Airlines

“Outstanding. Top Notch. Best ever. These are some of the responses we received … on this year’s Zhone Tech…They also mirror the reaction from our staff, partners and organizers. What distinguishes my commentary from the others is my full awareness of the substantial role that you played in the terrific success that we enjoyed. I am grateful for not only your expertise and your exceptional gift for prose, but also for your patience and dedication in working under demanding and often unreasonable conditions. Throughout the ordeal you demonstrated nothing less than composure and professionalism. It has been my pleasure to have had the opportunity to work with you on this outstanding engagement.”

– David Markowitz, VP Marketing, Zhone Technology

“Charlie Fern is an alliance partner of Excel Meetings and Events and provides speech writing and coaching to our corporate clients. She has an impeccable background and brings exceptional professionalism to her work. As an alliance partner, she is an invaluable asset to our business.”

– Jon Wollenhaupt, Vice President, Excel Meetings and Events

“I have been honored by the friendship of my colleagues in the White House speechwriting department: Michael Gerson, Pete Wehner, Matthew Scully…Charlene Fern… — altogether the finest presidential speechwriting team since Alexander Hamilton and James Madison collaborated on Washington’s Farewell Address.”

– David Frum, The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W. Bush

Clients

Ms. Fern has worked extensively in both the public and private sectors, with celebrities, musicians, government leaders, heads of state, corporate executives and board members. Her strategic communication consultancy includes speechwriting and coaching, public relations and marketing, media training, public speaking and teaching.

On Stage:

She delivers motivational speeches and informative lectures nationwide to groups of all sizes. Topics include leadership, strategic communication, public relations (including case studies), and her experiences as a speechwriter in the Texas Governor’s Office and at the White House (where she worked on 9-11).

Clients and Industries:

Ms. Fern works with clients on-site, on the road or virtually. She and her team handle each project and every client with the utmost care, professionalism and discretion. Our experience includes work in areas that include:

Airlines
Celebrities
Colleges and Universities
Diplomatic Corps – Ambassadors and Heads of State
Event Planning
Education – Early Childhood to University Instruction
Elected Officials
Embassies – worldwide
Entrepreneurs – CEOs and Boards
Foundations – Local to International
Fortune-500 to Fortune-5 Companies
Franchises – executives and Franchisees
Government – Federal
Government – State
Healthcare
High Tech
Music and musicians – artists, songwriters and labels
Non-Profits
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)
Oil and Gas
Pharmaceutical
Political candidates
Professional athletes (NFL, olympic stars, etc)
Public Relations, Marketing and Advertising
Real Estate and Realtors
Specialized businesses
Start-ups

In the News

Rolling Stone Magazine Interview of Charlie Fern

St. Edward’s University magazine interview of Charlie Fern

Article on Speechwriting and Geopolitics

Interview with the Garden Island

2016 TIPA Hall of Fame Announcement

Gulf Coast Business and Professional Women

Services

What do we do around here? The ABCs and 123s of this strategic communications consultancy include nearly every service you can imagine across the wide world of professional communication and human interaction. Our services include, but are not limited to:

• Strategic communications consulting
• Speechwriting and coaching
• Communication plans
• Message strategies
• Executive briefings & correspondence
• Corporate, government & non-profit white papers
• Professional document editing and optimizing
• Publishing industry editing & writing
• Event planning
• Public relations plans, strategies and tactics
• Public service announcements
• Press releases & media advisories
• News & opinion editorial writing
• Public speaking & lectures
• Media – writing and training

Contact Charlie for more details.

Writing & Resources

As a journalist, Ms. Fern wrote and edited in all styles – hard news, lifestyles, sports, columns and editorials. More than 20 years later, she continues to write for all media and consults a national list of clients in the art and skill of writing and public communications, including public relations and strategic messaging. When she is not a featured writer, or featured as a writer in the news, she lectures at the university level and delivers seminars and motivational speeches to organizations and groups nationwide.

You will have heard Ms. Fern’s speeches on national television, national and international radio. You will have read her work in prominent newspapers and magazines worldwide. And on this Web site, you will find examples of her own writing on a myriad of personal and professional topics — from leadership and public speaking to storytelling and strategic communications. You’ll also find blogs, essays, and speeches, quotes, and writing tips by Charlie and her staff, here and elsewhere on this site. We hope you’ll find this information both useful (if you’re considering our services) and entertaining (if you’re just browsing for fun and inspiration). And if you want to stay put on this page, you’ll find a few samples below.

Personal Blog Posts:

Eight months pregnant and counting

Extolling the virtues of baby containing contraptions

Excerpt from memoirs:

A small excerpt

On Writing:

The Dirty Dozen of Grammatical Errors

Tips and Tricks

Newsletters:

Imagine Greater Possibilities