I confess.  I was late in paying my Comcast bill last month–truth is, it slipped to the bottom of the pile and I simply forgot about it.  So I got a kind of terse note from Comcast in the mail yesterday.  The letter was blue and threatened to turn off my services–cable, Internet and phone (Triple Play).  I would not be able to watch The Pacific, or access my Facebook page as a result.  They even said I would not have access to 9-1-1 as a result.

I was pissed.  After all, I usually paid my bills on time and have been a customer of Comcast for years upon years. I felt ashamed too, but mostly pissed. I paid the bill (vindictively) and called Comcast to tell them that I had paid the bill, and that I was pissed that they sent me mail that treated me like a common delinquent.  The woman on the other end apologized profusely for Comcast sending the letter.  She was patient, understanding and probably the best CSR I have ever encountered.  1000 points for Comcast.

But I was still kind of pissed. And so I vented.  I posted on my Twitter account and on my Facebook account “I’m down on Comcast.”  That’s it.  (That’s the great thing or the worse thing about “updating” Facebook and your Twitter feed–instant gratifciation).

This morning I got into work, opened up my Tweetdeck and found a tweet to me from a Comcast employee in response to my post.  “ComcastMelissa” asked me “Can I help?”

Comcast I am truly impressed.  And you other companies, take note.  This is one of the reasons why you need to be using social media. Not only did ComcastMelissa immediately head off  an angry customer, but she also made me a fan of Comcast.  I will be that much more loyal to the Comcast brand.  Even though I still hate their Ben Stein and Shaq TV commercials.

I don’t know if ComcastMelissa is in Comcast’s customer care department or what, but she should be in public relations.  Or should I say individual relations?  In ComcastMelissa’s DM over Twitter, we see the very best use of public relations, customer care, brand and reputation management.  She did, what I feel, many companies are just starting to wake up to–that a company’s best public relations includes not just talking to the media, but talking to the individual, and taking care of the brand.  At PAN, we have seen this more and more in our client base.  We manage several Twitter and Facebook pages for clients, and on more than one occasion headed off the disgruntled customer. As more companies start to wake up to social media and its many applications, I think public relations will continue to morph into a role that encompasses customer care and brand management. I can see the day when brand managers and customer care departments are reporting into a corporate  public relations officer.

Enough of me droning on.  To sum it up, bravo Comcast, bravo Frank Eliason.  You have a fan, a follower and a customer in me.  So long as you keep ComcastMelissa employed. And you other companies, take note.

ComcastMelissa, Saint of Customer Service.

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