If you research your company online, you're apt to find some negative comments about the company or its services.

To see an example of the Internet's power to influence large groups of people, visit http://www.crankycustomer.com/. This site is a great example of how the Internet can turn a customer's private gripe into a public relations disaster. It's a terrific site for researching potential suppliers, and it's even fun to read, unless you happen to be the company being discussed!

When this happens, you have to make a judgment call about the comment. If it's an isolated incident - like someone who had a bad experience on a customer service phone call - you can probably fix it easily. Once they've gotten attention from the company and worked out a solution, they often drop their complaint altogether.

What you need to worry about is a problem involves a lot of people who feel strongly about the same thing. If you start to notice a bandwagon effect, and people are jumping to say negative things about your company, you need to take action with a wider response.

Find out just what kind of response is best in What to Do When Someone Damages Your Good Name.