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There are ongoing discussions ablaze concerning how to label social media technology solutions. Should they be called Social CRM or Social Business solutions or what have you.
It’s beneficial to decide on labels so we can all speak a common language so the discussion is important.
However, the focus on the technology is also a cart before the horse phenomena.
I spend très beaucoup time keeping up with thought leadership on social media and social CRM topics, hopefully adding to the discussion.
A big discussion topic centers on whether social media is a paradigm shift for how companies will be called to interact with their customers.
Is it? Hmmm. Yes and no. I’m going to give you my 2 cents worth and am interested in yours.
Thought you might be interested in several good articles on topics around the convergence of social media and technology. Scroll down through the comments because I added to the discussion in both articles.
Navigating through the social media world can be challenging, especially for companies new to these channels.
Part of the challenge is the breath of social media. To do it right, companies need to consider the both user needs and business needs.
Bridging user and business needs is our speciality and that's why we can help you.
Think social media doesn't have an impact on your company? Think again. And yes, that's true even if your business is B2B.
Forrester just published its third annual Social Technographics Profile. Some of the highlights can be found on the Groundswell website or you can purchase the full report from Forrester, entitled "The Broad Reach of Social Technologies.” The company gathered and analyzed data from across North America, Europe, and Asia.
A few of the stats that popped out at me are these:
Bob Warfield recently wrote a article on the need to integrate Customer Service and customer interaction. Additionally, he also pointed towards the very real possibility of how sometimes being too social can be the wrong move for a company.
Bob’s observation highlights the customer service challenge of finding the right mix between offering self-service options mixed with help from real people via phone and via also social media channels. It’s about providing service in ways customers want and need.
Circling around all this social challenge, companies also still need to be cost-effective in managing their businesses.
Break it down and the challenge is about finding a balance between business need and user/customer needs. That’s a driving motivator behind whole Social CRM movement.
Rackspace Email (formerly Mailtrust) is an excellent example of a company who is successfully hurdling the challenge as they offer excellent service delivered by a variety of avenues.
Did you see the United Breaks Guitars video, which has now been seen by more than 5 million Youtube viewers? It's a damning expose about United's horrid handling of Dave Carroll's Taylor guitar-- and he used social media to slam back. Most successfully.
The video puts a glaring spotlight on how the quality of a company's service offerings will be transparent -- for bad and good. If a company doesn't provide the transparency, customers will.
And it also doesn't matter whether a company is participating in social media. Customers are.
I just bought a new cell phone – starting with an AT&T Pantech Matrix Pro before switching to an iPhone. My goal, beyond making phone calls, was to download emails from multiple email accounts, send text messages, and Twitter.
Guess what? I experienced configuration problems. No surprise there, what with a new phone and all. Besides, that’s what tech support is for.
In trying to solve my problems, though, I experienced an up close and personal view in how three companies – AT&T, Pantech, and Rackspace Email – use Twitter’s social media channel to their benefit...or in the case of one company, to its detriment.
