Saturday, December 21, 2013

Why Won't They Listen?

People are frustrated about this Phil Robertson thing. You can hear it in post after post on the internet. The thing that is frustrating them isn't so much that A&E dismissed Phil. People are used to their favorite shows getting canceled. And it isn't because Cracker Barrel removed products with Phil's image on them. Most people weren't aware that they carried those products. No, the thing that is frustrating people is that these corporate executives don't seem to be listening. First. You've got Nancy Dubuc, who dismissed Phil for quoting what the Bible says about homosexuality. It wasn't that long ago when people rallied behind Chick-fil-a after the had someone make a similar statement. If Nancy Dubuc had listened, she would have realized that she was starting a fight. Then there is Cracker Barrel, who in the midst of most of their customers taking a stand for Phil Robertson, pulls his picture off their shelves. If they'd been listening, they would've realized that would anger their customers.

Part of the problem is that they really aren't listening. Many corporate types see social media as a way to tell people stuff, but they have failed to realize that the most valuable aspect of social media is the ability to listen to what people are saying. They're too busy for that. As a result, they're offending people by their efforts to not offend anyone.