It’s safe to say that in the UK, British Gas isn’t a popular company. Increasing heating bills that leave the poor and elderly turning off their heating in order to keep bills down. While at the same time the company’s shareholders enjoy over £575,000,000 in profits every year. So when the social media team at British Gas decided a “question and answer” session via Twitter would be a good idea, it was sure to back fire.
Earlier today, British Gas tweeted this on social media platform Twitter:
Our Customer Services Director Bert Pijls will be taking part in a Q&A about our price rise at 1-2pm. Tweet your questions using #AskBG!
— British Gas (@BritishGas) October 17, 2013
Twitter users from around the world face palmed and got ready for the social media onslaught.
And of course Twitter did not disappoint.
British Gas social media team arrive for Twitter Q&A #AskBG pic.twitter.com/46mAXsXqLx
— Stephen Hull (@hullstephen) October 17, 2013
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Hi Bert, which items of furniture do you, in your humble opinion, think people should burn first this winter? #AskBG
— Lee Vincent (@LeeJamesVincent) October 17, 2013
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.@BritishGas #AskBG What is the best temperature to thaw an elderly relative at and what seasoning would you use with one?
— TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) October 17, 2013
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#AskBG Maybe change the advertising on your website? pic.twitter.com/NuCFDRq5hY
— Lisaaaargh! (@BiscuitAhoy) October 17, 2013
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.@BritishGas have you found a way to channel angry customer feedback into electricity? #askBG
— Felicity Morse (@FelicityMorse) October 17, 2013
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#AskBG would it be ok to burn the corpses of your board of directors when I can’t afford heating?
— Matt Kelly (@Matt_Dot_Com) October 17, 2013
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Can I please borrow your soul as you don’t seem to be using it at the moment #AskBG
— Gareth Heskett (@GarethHeskett) October 17, 2013
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#askbg Do you prefer one 36 carrot gold diamond encrusted horse sized duck, or 100 36 carrot gold diamond encrusted duck sized horses?
— John Coventry (@JohnnyCov) October 17, 2013
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Do the @BritishGas board prefer to bathe in £20 or £50 notes? #AskBG
— Cal Loftus (@calloftus) October 17, 2013
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.@BritishGas I have been concerned for some time now that your chief executive Sam Laidlaw only took home £5million last year 1/2 #AskBG!
— Danny Leigh (@dannytheleigh) October 17, 2013
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#AskBG : @BritishGas as an employee how can u expect workers like myself to feel happy working for a company who rip people off? It’s not on
— edo badonde (@edoSfulton) October 17, 2013
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.@BritishGas Will you be sacrificing your social media team for fuel this winter? #AskBG
— Steve Rose (@steveplrose) October 17, 2013
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#AskBG If I email this lovely man from the Nigerian Lotto Nscam Bank my details,he says he can provide cheaper gas.What have you got to say?
— I,Clarkeyus (@paininthebrum) October 17, 2013
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I’m having to burn all the junk mail you send me in order to keep warm #AskBG
— wolftic (@wolftic) October 17, 2013
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17/10/2013
Christian is a British-born entrepreneur and founder of Marwick. For over 19 years, Christian has successfully helped businesses excel in digital marketing. Founded in 2012, Marwick has grown from a start-up to the 11th Fastest Growing Company in Canada in 2020 and expanded into the UK in 2019.