In the past, customers who were unhappy with a product or service would make a phone call or write a letter to the business they received it from. Today, many web-savvy consumers simply hop online and voice their opinion using social media, according to a December 30, 2011 press release from software provider eGain.

This past October, eGain commissioned a survey of 2,000 UK consumers to acquire insight into their preferred method of issuing a product or service complaint. When given the options of letter, email, phone call, online chat and social media, 47 percent of respondents said they choose email or web chat, while 33 percent make a call and 17 percent write a letter.

As for social media, eGain found that 5 percent of individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 reported that they use Facebook, Twitter and other platforms to complain to companies. Additional survey results revealed that this demographic was almost twice as likely to use the internet for customer service purposes as individuals 55 and older.

"We’re seeing a distinct 'butterfly effect' as consumers choose to air their grievances on social media channels: a small number of vociferous users can have a disproportionately loud voice and viral visibility in social networks," said Andrew Mennie, eGain’s general manager.

Mennie added that companies that wish to go social should establish a unified multi-channel service strategy, which, in turn, can provide customers with accurate customer assistance that is consistent, context-aware and can help build loyalty.

"Moreover, this approach allows them to take explosive social conversations private in a seamless manner, and bring happy endings back to the social cloud," Mennie said.

The greater interest in social media among younger consumers is not limited to the UK. On August 29, 2011, eMarketer highlighted the results of a survey that was conducted by Barkley, an advertising agency. Findings revealed that 52.8 percent of respondents between the ages of 16 and 34 like to check out brands while on Facebook and Twitter.

Furthermore, eMarketer reported that 33.4 percent of survey participants between 16 and 34 liked a brand more if it had a social media presence. For companies that have an interest in targeting a younger audience, data from both surveys may prove useful in the development of effective social learning strategies.