Negative feedback is a net positive

It isn't often I get to say kind things about the Transportation Security Administration. Recently, though, they launched a blog, and I have to take my hat off to them for it. From Wired:

The idea behind the blog, according to TSA administrator Kip Hawley, is "to provide here a forum for a lively, open discussion of TSA issues. While I and senior leadership of TSA will participate in the discussion, we are turning the keyboard over to several hosts who represent what's best about TSA (its people). Our hosts aren't responsible for TSA's policies, nor will they have to defend them--their job is to engage with you straight-up and take it from there."

Unsurprisingly, the TSA blog has been bombarded by negative comments. Seems people don't always have the most pleasant experiences when they travel. Samples:

"The TSA liquid policy is ludicrous and indefensible," wrote a commenter called "doctor anonymous." "It suggests that 6 oz of liquid can blow up a plane but two 3-oz containers can't. In addition, it was instituted in the wake of an impossible plot--the London bombing plot in 2006 supposedly entailed the manufacture of TATP aboard an aircraft with precursors brought aboard. But, of course, this is impossible. Synthesis of TATP is difficult--as I learned long ago in Chemistry class in a pre-9/11 world--enough in a laboratory, requiring careful control of temperature, and many hours of drying time. It couldn't be done in an airplane lav."

Or this one, from an anonymous poster: "Dear fear mongering air gestapo, While I appreciate your attempt to tell people that your agency is staffed by human beings with a difficult job, that doesn't mean their job is worthy of respect.

"TSA: Preventing implausible threats while unable to cope with tests for real ones, all the while saying 'papers please' and destroying America."

So why am I praising the TSA for opening themselves up to this sort of vitriol? Simple: they are finally and openly acknowledging that they have a public to serve. They are accepting that the vitriol is there, and that they have to understand it in order to address it. Most importantly, they are recognizing their own fallibility, and the benefit that comes from honest feedback.

Many people and companies are reluctant to open the door to negative feedback. In reality, negative feedback can be one of the best things to happen to an organization. Many of our most memorable—and positive—service memories involve extraordinary steps taken to right wrongs.

Social media expert Jeremiah Owyang has a succinct attitude towards the reality of negative feedback:

...the truth of the matter is, they are going to leave negative comments about your company elsewhere on the web, there’s no way you’ll ever be able to stop this. If you delete or remove the comments from your own corporate websites, it will probably escalate in a ‘louder’ location in blogs and other forums, so don’t do that. The savvy strategist will realize that by bringing the problems and issues closer to home, you’ll actually have a few advantages:

1. You’re in the know. Being on home court gives you the ability to quickly find out issues, so why wait for them to bubble up elsewhere on the web, consider this a ‘free alerting system’ –embrace!
2. Involve them. Detractors come in many different flavors, but in most cases, these are individuals that want you to improve your product, so embrace them, acknowledge them, and get them involved in providing solutions. More often than not, after they see the effort you’ve got to help them, they could become and advocate and sing your praises.
3. An opportunity: By acknowledging and fixing these problems in public, you demonstrate confidence, openness to customer insight, and can turn this into a very positive experience.

At Missing Link, we follow some strict blogging principles, including an unambiguous stance on negative comments:

We must be willing to listen to responses and feedback. One of the primary purposes of engaging in conversation is to gain a greater understanding of our audience’s perspective. This means we don’t get to filter out responses we don’t like. We do, however, get to use them to become better.

Negative feedback gives you powerful information that you can use to make your company, your brand, and your products stronger. Ignoring it is marketing by denial; acknowledging it, and taking appropriate steps to respond, can rocket you light-years ahead of your competition.

What is your opinion about negative comments? Do you embrace them or shy from them?