We live in a world that moves in mysterious ways. 25 years ago, the only path to a purchase was through a salesperson, and the best way to complain about an unsatisfactory product or service was an angry letter. A letter, as in one of those things you put in an envelope and physically send to an address (yes, people still do that).

Today, most people make purchases without talking to the brand they’re buying from (and if they do talk to somebody, it’s near the end of the process and on their terms). When we want to complain about a product or service we’re unhappy with, we take to social media and make our gripes public, so other consumers can make note of our negative experiences.

The simple fact is consumers hold more power over buyers than ever before. In addition to the big social media channels, other outlets like Yelp and TripAdvisor enable consumers to review restaurants, hotels and destinations. And make no mistake, these reviews matter. If there are too many bad reviews that cite similar problems at a given establishment, people will start to avoid it. Sometimes, if a company is quick to respond and make genuine offer to fix the situation, they can turn a negative into a positive.