Does complaining work better than praise?

An issue recently surfaced in an online professional group I belong to. 


A member was complaining that there were no responses to a discussion he had started. He felt that, due to the nature of the group in general and his topic in particular, there should have been no shortages of replies. Once the complaint had been posted, the replies started coming in fast and furiously, mine included. It made me wonder if a complaint generates more interest, empathy, and ultimately results than simple praise. 


Organizations are frequently geared towards handling problematic issues, and customer complaints are key among these. We know that one unhappy customer will tell all their acquaintances about their poor experience, and they again will tell their friend. A failure chain of gigantic proportions has just been created. As such, we want our customers happy and satisfied with the ultimate goal of creating repeat customers. 


How then do we treat customers who sing our praises? Do we reply to a message of good service or a great product, or do we simply file it away with a self satisfied smile of our face? Do we reward the happy customer with a complimentary product or a discount coupon, and do we communicate the customer's insights to the rest of the organization? 


We know what we are learning from a complaint and can often take concrete steps towards resolving the issue. When praise is received, are we geared to view it as an equally valuable learning experience?


Who then, do we value the most, the complaining customer or the satisfied one? Who should we take the greatest effort in satisfying? Are we rewarding the right customer?


What are your thoughts?