Telstra has 60 people combing social media sites to sniff out people who complain about the company.

The telco's chief executive David Thodey said the power of the consumer is greater than ever before and Telstra is playing catch up on customer relations.

David Thodey says Telstra has a 60-member social media team combing the net for complaints. Credit:Josh Robenstone

"We ourselves have about 60 people who monitor every social media site ... and you can imagine what is said about Telstra," he told a Queensland Media Club lunch in Brisbane.

Mr Thodey said complaints, such as technicians not showing up or poor network coverage, travelled fast and far with just a click of a mouse.