By TRACEY DRURY
Business First

It's easy to respond to someone in person when they voice a gripe about your company.

But what happens when that gripe is voiced online, where it can be heard by potentially millions of people? Attorneys say companies could be missing the boat if they're not doing some monitoring of gripe sites, blogs and chat rooms.  

Beverley Braun recently presented a seminar on Internet gripe sites for members of InfoTech Niagara. Braun, an associate with Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel LLP, says her talk addressed precautionary measures and potential liability.

"The Internet, to use a cliché, is becoming the new public forum, so what people used to do in the town square now they're doing on the Internet," she says. "But the implications now are much more far-reaching than the town square."

Gripes aired online have culminated in high-profile cases involving Goldman Sachs, Roommates.com and Craigslist.com. Corporate giant Walmart has been the target of several walmartsucks.com-style gripe sites.

But local companies are not immune. A quick online search turns up several such sites:

• www.7newsunfair.com - Created by union representatives with NABET-CWA Local 51025, whose WKBW-TV members have been without a contract for more than 450 days.

• www.damon-moreymisconduct.com - Created by the former owner of a now-defunct Niagara Falls construction company who claimed that the Damon & Morey LLP law firm did not disclose a conflict of interest and charged him unreasonable legal fees.

• www.hsbccreditcardsucks.com - Created by a writer in Houston, Texas, after a customer-service dispute that led to his filing a lawsuit against HSBC Bank USA.

Braun says companies first and foremost need to be aware of what's being said about them online, both good and bad. In some cases, the rhetoric could warrant legal action if it's defamatory or slanderous or infringes a trademark.

All companies should check for references to their company on multiple search engines. But just because something has been said about your organizaion, sometimes the company is better off ignoring it.

The best approach is to monitor what's out there, says Ann Evanko, president and managing partner at Hurwitz & Fine PC.

"Then you know what people are thinking, what they're expressing. If it's appropriate, you can take corrective action," she says, adding that she generally discourages participation in online gripe sessions.

Others suggest that gripes sites and online criticism can be used as a positive for a company. A University of Melbourne study found that employee gripe sites can be a potentially powerful management tool. The study tracked the evolution of employee griping on the Internet, and says it gives companies unique insight into how they are perceived by employee and the public. How they respond is an entirely different matter, however.

"At a minimum, you should be listening to what consumers are saying about your brand online," says Marybeth Popp, director of brand public relations at Eric Mower & Associates. "It provides a good barometer to check the health and stability of your brand."

Popp monitors blogs and other online mentions of clients such as Labatt USA. She responds to comments that contain incorrect statements or misinformation. The effort has helped the company overcome complaints and strengthen relationships with customers, she says.

Other times, she just listens to the conversation or passes information along.

"There are issues where I would definitely engage a consumer, but the most important thing to do is always be transparent and let people know who you are," she says. "Number one is start a proactive dialogue and become a part of the conversation upfront. That better positions you to continue that conversation."

Gripes online
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Melbourne found that:

• People don't visit sites just to complain, although two-thirds of all first messages in a discussion thread are based on justice issues.
• Messages cover the gamut, from organizational policies to pay worries, morale and hiring practices.
• Current employees are the biggest initiators of discussions, along with jobseekers and outsiders, but former employees contributed the most negative comments. Their comments were also most likely to elicit a response.
• People listen to and respond to former employees. Company managers should monitor such sites and respond to the issues raised when needed.

SOURCE: UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE