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'United Breaks Guitars' guy releases third video and a website

By Charlene Sadler
Wednesday, March 3, 2010, 5:54 PM

dave-carroll-2cp-250-7007082.jpgHalifax musician Dave Carroll, who shot to fame with his YouTube video, United Breaks Guitars, has launched a consumer-venting website, plus the third and final video of his tale-of-woe trilogy.

The final video installment, entitled "United We Stand" focuses on the vast number of complaints that other people have had about United Airlines.

In the video, Carroll sings that he's not mad at United anymore, (phew, United must be blowing a corporate sigh of relief.) But unfortunately, he sings, lots of other people are still mad. (Take back corporate sigh of relief.)

Carroll wonders if United Airlines has learned anything from his musical hectoring. "You say that you're changing and I hope you do, cuz if you don't then who'd fly with you," he sings.

Carroll became a YouTube star in June 2009, when he wrote a song about how United broke his favourite guitar during a trip from Halifax to Nebraska. The airline refused to help him out, but did break down and give him $3,500 after the video went viral. Carroll donated the money to a Boston musical charity.

Along with the newest video, Carroll also launched on Tuesday a new website, Right Side of Right. It's a place where people can share their customer service experiences, both good and bad.

Carroll has become a bit of a go-to guy when it comes to dealing with bad customer service.

In between working with his two bands, "Sons of Maxwell" and "The Dave Carroll Band," he's busy with speaking engagements, talking to corporate executives and boardrooms about how to improve customer service.

Yes, corporations pay him to come and tell them why bad customer service is bad for business.

"Corporations say they don't to be 'Dave Carrolled'," Brent Sansom, Carroll's business advisor and father-in-law, told CBC News.

In this day and age of fairly pathetic corporate customer service, I say: Sing on Dave, Sing on.