Companies monitoring the web (expensive, present, used, complaints)

[eofelis]

I have noticed something as I browse forums, and maybe 3 instances is not a good representative sample, but when a forum poster complained about a product or service a person from that company suddenly posts in the discussion asking the OP to contact them to help resolve the problem.

I think I may have even seen it happen on this forum (or maybe it was another forum that I frequent). I have also seen it happen on facebook. Someone complained that UPS left a package with an expensive textbook on the porch and it got rained on all day and the book was ruined. Someone from UPS posted on that discussion asking the person to contact them to help resolve the problem.

Has anyone else noticed this? Companies scouring the web for unhappy customers trying to resolve problems.

I have a small issue (not really a problem yet, more of a question) and as an experiment I posted about it on my FB wall to see if it is noticed by the company (small chance, I know).

[Pitt Chick]

Yep.
Many large companies hire people to do just that.

[harry chickpea]

It is a good thing. Companies used to be able to shove complaints under the rug and no one would know. Some still try it. (AT&T and Hughesnet... ,<cough, cough>)