If you’re using Twitter simply for fun, you might be missing out on its secret power. Just as there are hidden powers in Google, Twitter’s real strength is tucked just below the surface, one that you would miss unless you did some scratching around.

Have you ever noticed that almost every major company has a Twitter account? This includes manufacturers, retail outlets, banks as well as any brand name you can think of. Why are they on Twitter? Primarily they are there to promote themselves, of course. If you follow some of these corporate accounts, you’ll notice that each one interacts with their followers in different ways. Some ask for input, some simply push their own products and services while others are there for fun, just to entertain you during your day. The last group engage you and aren’t afraid to stand out from the crowd by tweeting jokes, photos or links to cool pages.

Just as companies are usually on Twitter to engage their customers, they are also on Twitter to listen to those customers. Here’s where you come in and here is where the real power of Twitter comes to the forefront. Here are my experiences in this area. Prepare to be surprised.

1. After staying at a hotel in London, Ontario, I was very disappointed with the room. A pull-out sofa-bed was advertised but the sofa that was there wasn’t a bed. The pocket doors to the master bedroom were stuck open. Closing them for privacy was impossible. I wasn’t satisfied in the least, obviously. When I got home, I tweeted about my experience, including the name of the hotel chain.  After being contacted by the chain through Twitter, I was able to get my total room charge reversed on my credit card.

2. I bought my wife a netbook online from a highly reputable business supply chain. The computer was a gift for her birthday and the company promised next-day delivery. On the day the computer was supposed to arrive, I received an email from the shipping section of the company stating that the laptop wasn’t available and that I would get a refund. Well, I saw red and took to Twitter. I tweeted my displeasure, including the company name in my tweet. That’s all it took. Through emails and one phone call, we received another brand of netbook for the same price as the one I originally ordered MINUS a $50.00 discount. Since I had used a $15.00 coupon on the original purchase, the total bill to me was $135.00 for a netbook that was selling for $279.00.

3. I purchased a new toner cartridge for my laser printer, direct from the printer maker. It didn’t fit, they refunded my money but the dealings I had with the company were abysmal. The phone calls were endless, the service was terrible and the time I wasted on a very simple operation was frustrating. I tweeted about my experience and wrote an article about it on one of my other sites. The end result was that I received a $50.00 gift certificate from the company.

4. After a major purchase this summer, I was stunned to discover that the manufacturer had come out with $1,000.00 rebate one month after the purchase. To say I was steamed is an understatement. After several months, several emails, and several politely disparaging tweets and comments on the company’s Facebook page, I received a call from the company’s PR person telling me that they had considered my case carefully. They offered me a $500.00 credit towards service in lieu of the $1,000.00 product rebate that I had missed. Since half a loaf is better than none, I accepted their offer. Now, whenever I bring the product in for service, no money changes hands, at least not out of my pocket.

5. My netbook’s battery died after a year and a half. The battery had never been great but it suddenly seemed to lose more than half of its power and wouldn’t take a full charge. The laptop would also quit suddenly when on its battery. Now, I was out of warranty. I knew that but I tweeted about this situation anyway. To my mind, a battery should last a lot longer than a year and a half. I heard back from the company, explained the situation in an email and almost immediately received a phone call offering me a new battery for $30.00. The regular price of the battery was $80.00 and I felt that a $30.00 charge was a pretty good deal. The person on the phone said that the shipping was included but it that wasn’t the case. Still, even with a $5.00 shipping fee, I came out ahead.

I won’t bore you with additional examples. Suffice it to say that I’ve been using Twitter well. At this point, just from these examples, I am $770.00 ahead, simply because I used the power of Twitter. Sure, this article reads like I’m selling something. I’m not. What I am saying is that Twitter is very likely more powerful than you think. In my next post, I will give you some tips on my techniques. Making contact with a company is easy. Getting them to see things your way is a bit tougher. I’ll post some tips on how I get heard tomorrow. Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading. Comments are welcome.