Blackout Backstab: B2B Brand Bash

Heatapocolypse dominated this past week. Across the nation citizens faced heat and humidity. Some endured these triple digit temps with no power. Good Ferndalians faced this plight, businesses and residents alike.

It was on the news, and as a social media pixie I watched my neighbors, my favorite businesses, and DTE talk about the power situation in my city.

I’d like to say, there are some clever minds in the 48220, but I also found something rather unsettling.

A certain shop announced that they would not be able to open Saturday, openly blaming it on DTE for “sucking.”

For a moment I had to double to check to make sure I hadn’t accidently friended a high schooler. When I realized it was one of my favorite places to shop in the city, I was super bummed.

I had never openly seen B2B bashing online. As a consumer of both of these brands I felt a small internal tension. I was quick to take DTE’s side.

Yes, this Ferndale spot is geographically closer to home than the DTE offices. And I’m usually 50 times more excited about my purchases there, than my subconscious daily consumption of DTE energy. I can think of nearly a hundred instances where I have recommend both online and in person that people take the time to check this place out, and have never really thought to recommend DTE.

Now I felt funny. This business was taking business issues, very personally, and reacted like a person, not a business persona.

It was as though they wanted us to believe that DTE draped themselves in dark cloak, took on a magic wand, waved it to cruse them alone.

I’m no electrician but my understanding goes as the heat sucked, it caused power usage to go up for citizens and business to find relief, causing the stress on the means to disrupt power to be over stressed, creating -- BOOM -- no power.

This is when DTE rallies up, rolls out their trucks, and starts the work to fix the problem.

Hoping to resolve the situation from Redford to Detroit, over and back again. DTE has been trying to bring power back across Metro Detroit for over two weeks, from storm issues, the heat, and UPS trucks running into “low lines.”

They didn’t show up, pull out lawn chairs and have a layout. The workers did the tireless, and dangerous work. Thanklessly.

The power outage is absolutely inconvenient, uncomfortable and creating a scenario where there would be a loss of money. Ouch, it hurt everyone.

But DTE was desperately trying to get Ferndale back on track and was in no way trying to hold consumers back from making it work.

I would like say I was extremely impressed by Ferndale businesses that were quick to think up ways to make the black out work. Certainly not everyone was going to have a generator, but some clever shops did some clever things.

Of course the anxiety about the pending doom of a black out weekend was eased Friday, and everyone is happily lit this Sunday.

To this store, I was really turned off by this. I’m not saying you’ll never see me again. But I am saying you are a business, act like it. Let this be your light bulb moment.

Frustration does not translate in text; it will be read as a compliant, or an attack. Especially when it is coming from a business entity, rather than a person.

Metro Detroit works best when it works as a community, lashing out on Facebook even if it is meant “passively” can seem very violent.

All businesses should take note that branding and networking are delicate links between you, consumers and the links your consumers already have. It takes time to mend breaks when they occur.

Great damage to your consumers' opinion of your business can come when you articulate your opinion of a business they might consume from as well.

Of course you, as an individual are free to rant as you like.

I may be wrong, but I think the shop owes DTE an apology, and great gratitude for their efforts.

If no one has said it yet: Thank you to the men and women of DTE who have worked so hard to bring power back to our city.

Oh, and also, thank you if no one has said it yet to Heatapocolypse for going away.