• ⇤
• ⇽
• ≡
• ⇾
• ⇥

reverse public relations

the journal of Michael Werneburg

twenty-seven years and one million words

One thing I started in 2009 was feeding this journal to various outlets like facebook, tumblr, and twitter. I'm starting to see some weird results.

For instance, last week I had an uptick in traffic to the site that I found inexplicable. Digging around in the traffic report, I found that a new software 'bot had been reading my website. It's from a company called Radian6, and it turns out that they're a firm that monitors feedback on the Internet. Specifically, they monitor feedback from people who write about their corporate clients on the Internet. It's like a reverse public-relations firm. Instead of pushing out a message to the public, they're telling their clients what the public's saying about them.

What I'm guessing is that one way or another, my recent attempts to learn something about customer service—and the commentary that that has led to in this journal—has attracted their attention because I said something about one of their clients. So okay, someone (well, a software agent, anyway) is listening. I don't know how long it'll last, so I reckon I should start venting spleen about companies that need to hear that they've got to get their act together. Companies like Japan Airlines and BigShoes.com, who I've already mentioned. And yes, I'd be happy to take anecdotes and suggestions from all readers.