Most businesses aim to please. They put customers first and do whatever it takes to make them happy.
Some companies have found that being unethical and treating customers
like garbage is actually better for business. At the very least, it
ups their Google ranking. One company, DecorMyEyes, is downright scary to customers. When one
user tried to cancel her order, she received a scathing email. According
to the New York Times, DecorMyEyes wrote her: "Listen, b*tch, I know your address..”
Other customers had similar experiences and reported them on review sites.
"Terrible service and a rip off. They must have blind primates doing the work!" says another.
Those are just two of the nicer reviews. While most business owners would be horrified, the DecorMyEyes founder, Stanley Borker, is thrilled. Here's why:
"“Hello, My name is Stanley with DecorMyEyes.com," the founder writes to all the negative commenters on an open forum. "I just wanted to let you guys know that the more replies you people post, the more business and the more hits and sales I get. My goal is NEGATIVE advertisement.”
Those are just two of the nicer reviews. While most business owners would be horrified, the DecorMyEyes founder, Stanley Borker, is thrilled. Here's why:
"“Hello, My name is Stanley with DecorMyEyes.com," the founder writes to all the negative commenters on an open forum. "I just wanted to let you guys know that the more replies you people post, the more business and the more hits and sales I get. My goal is NEGATIVE advertisement.”
Negative actions should have negative consequences, but this founder
is laughing all the way to the bank thanks to high Google rankings. But
surely the world's most powerful search engine, Google, could separate
scams like DecorMyEyes from genuine businesses.
Apparently not until last week when the issue came to light. Since then, Google has solved the issue:
Apparently not until last week when the issue came to light. Since then, Google has solved the issue:
"We were horrified to read about Ms. Rodriguez’s dreadful experience.
Even though our initial analysis pointed to this being an edge case and
not a widespread problem in our search results, we immediately convened
a team that looked carefully at the issue. That team developed an
initial algorithmic solution, implemented it, and the solution is
already live. I am here to tell you that being bad is, and hopefully
will always be, bad for business in Google’s search results."
Borker's strategy is unethical yet slightly brilliant. He tricked the most
powerful company in the world. It is a shock and awe strategy that
Google, until recently, wasn't stopping.
Although effective, abusing customers isn't a strategy that's likely
to catch on.
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