.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} Let’s face it, tales about shoddy service, a product that flopped or a clerk who was the epitome of rudeness make much better stories than anecdotes about things going well.

When was the last time you heard about good hospital food? See? We all know the power of word-of-mouth advertising, but what do you do when your customers are telling stories you’d rather not have seep beyond your door?

The best defense is to communicate clearly that your business wants to hear when things don’t go according to plan. Let them tell you rather than 137 of their closest friends. Offer satisfaction guarantees. Always ask at the end of a transaction if the client is happy with the results. Do follow-up contacts by phone or mail to verify that the customer is still satisfied. Point-blank ask if they would refer you to their friends or colleagues.

Of course, you can do all of those things, but if you don’t actually listen and respond to concerns and complaints, don’t add insult to injury by asking. That just makes for a better story.

Look around your business. Check your invoices and receipts. Reread your “welcome” letters or official business literature. If you were a brand-new client, would you immediately recognize that your business was open to hearing complaints?

Take steps today to make sure your business encourages grumbling, grousing, complaining and whining. Not only will you stop the viral spreading of the bad story, but you’ll probably improve the buying experience for all of your customers and generate more of that good word of mouth you’re hoping for.

Drew McLellan is Top Dog at McLellan Marketing Group and blogs at www.drewsmarketingminute.com. He can be reached at Drew@MclellanMarketing.com. © 2007 Drew McLellan