South Africa, March 6 -- It might sound a little dramatic, but this is exactly how customers feel when they are ignored by brands. When they can't get heard, they take their grievances to the public - Facebook, Instagram, and, worst of all, consumer complaint sites like Hellopeter. It's their way of getting someone (anyone!) to listen. And yet, instead of fixing the real issue, most companies react with panic.

The knee-jerk reaction of many brands is to ring-fence a team, set up a 'crisis management' division, and throw more people at the problem - just to contain the embarrassment. They focus on stopping the bleeding rather than healing the wound. Instead of improving relationships with customers, they get irritated with them. Instead o...