Tweet or post your dilemma and chances are it'll be resolved right away.

American Express is just one of the companies now scouring the internet to head off problems posted online.

"We have a very involved system, so there's a ton of technology that exists today that enables us to catch the key phrases, be it 'Amex,' or 'American Express,' or 'Card,' or 'gold card,' 'green card,' that gets pinged to us," says American Express vice president of Social Media Leslie Berland.

Posting an issue online could net you a faster and perhaps more satisfying result.

"It's more than service, it's actually PR and marketing. And I think in today's environment companies no longer own their brands, the people do," Berland says.

Many companies are also setting up pages on Facebook, offering special deals for their fans.