In typical social media fashion, there’s a new buzzword going around. If you’re a regular reader of the social media blogs, or have attended a conference/speaking engagement, you’ll notice the so-called a-listers are all preaching the same thing: start listening to your customers. Hell, people are even spewing the same corny analogy – Stop. Collaborate. Listen. While it may make Vanilla Ice feel relevant again, I can tell you that it’s complete hogwash. Your customers really could care less if you are listening or not.

Keep in mind, I’m the same guy that said your customers aren’t your number one priority. So now, this group of people who I feel aren’t important, don’t care if you’re listening?

I’m sure I’m not the only one, but I recall a few occasions (ok, most of my childhood), where my mother would lecture me on why I shouldn’t be causing mischief. And, like most “conversations” it went in one ear, out the other. Sure, I was listening, but there was no action on my end. Nothing got resolved. Same mischief, same lecture. It never got resolved. And folks, that’s what matters. It’s the action. It’s the follow-up. It’s taking input and turning it into something productive and resourceful. Toyota is doing a great job listening right now. But do they care? Are they doing anything about it? That’s what customers want.

The action, the follow-up – that’s where most companies fail. It’s not that they don’t care enough to hear their customer’s opinions. Hell, people complain about a company every day on Twitter – it’s become the hip thing to do. Those complaints are meaningless, because companies don’t care enough to resolve any of these issues. Often times, it’s too expensive. Often times, it’s going outside of an established comfort zone. News flash: companies don’t like to spend money and they don’t like new, untested waters.

So who’s the fool? Is it the customers who continue to voice their opinion? After all, social media has allowed us to finally have a voice! Evangelists have preached that the business model has evolved and now companies aren’t in control. Again, like most of the stuff that comes from these evangelists, it’s complete garbage. I appreciate the feel-good vibe that everyone wants, but in reality, none of that matters.

But what about the many examples of online backlash that has caused companies to change? What about those who’ve seen the power that is social media – United, Dominos, Burger King? The only thing that they’ve learned is that they need to tread a little lighter. But it’s going to be just enough to ensure they don’t overstep your fragile ego. Nothing’s changed. And you don’t care that they aren’t listening. We simply want to feel like we matter. We don’t really care if it’s true or not. We’re content with putting up some fuss, having a company say they’ll “look into it” and then moving on. We want to think we made a difference, but don’t care if we make a difference.

Nothing is going to change this. It’s been this way since the beginning. Until we hold ourselves accountable. Until we stop feeling good about simply speaking up. Nothing is going to change. And it’s not company A’s fault. It’s your fault. It’s my fault.