Conversation Monitoring and Customer Service

Here’s some food for thought: 42% of consumers who connect with brands online say they expect a response from the brand within an hour (Akbar, 2013). One hour. That’s it! Talk about instant gratification. While it’s seemingly a short amount of time, organizations who are in-tune with the needs of their customers will respond before that 60 minutes is up. Why? Because they are already actively participating in the conversation surrounding their brand.

One of the many benefits of social media, according to David M. Scott (2013), is that actively participating in in online communities with consumers enables an organization to build and earn trust, sympathy and “patience when something goes wrong” (p. 67).  Be it an online forum, Twitter, Facebook, or some other form of social media, the Internet serves as a “massive focus group with uninhibited customers offering up their thoughts for free!” (p. 64). 

That’s one of the greatest lessons in Scott’s discussion of social media and a brand’s targeted audience: that conversation monitoring and participating in discussions (be they good or bad) is critical. Having a social media presence proves “that you care about the people who spend money with your organization” (p. 64). 

Scott uses two examples on opposite ends of the spectrum to illustrate his point:

• SONY BMG. After discovering that the anti-piracy software on Sony CD’s installed malware on his computer, Mark Russinovich took to his blog to air his grievances. Others quickly chimed in or wrote their own posts on the topic, calling for a boycott of Sony and accusing the brand of treating customers poorly. While the criticism gained momentum, Sony remained silent; it took five days for the President of the company to respond. Though an exchange system for the malware-affected CDs was eventually instituted, the damage had already been done; several lawsuits were filed (pp. 61-63). 
• B&H Photo-Video. When Nikon released a hotly-anticipated camera, many turned to specialty store B&H Photo-Video to order the product. The only problem: Nikon changed its distribution model and included chains like Best Buy, so B&H couldn’t fulfill all of the orders it received. The backlash from the situation occurred in an online forum; the difference, however, is that a B&H employee actively participated in the forum while the conversation was happening. The employee was honest and apologetic in posting responses to customer concerns, and the tone of the conversation ultimately became less critical and more positive (pp. 66-67).

Overall, these examples illustrate how participating in online discussions surrounding your brand can help build and maintain an organization’s reputation. On the flip side, it also proves how avoiding these conversations can be detrimental. Even further, we see that immediate response is critical (42% of consumers demand it!).

References:

Akbar, A. (2013, Nov. 5). The Impact of Social Media On Customer Service. HubShout. Retrieved from: http://hubshout.com/?The-Impact-of-Social-Media-on-Customer-Service-[VIDEO-&-INFOGRAPHIC]&AID=1060

 

Scott, D.M. (2013) The New Rules of Marketing and PR. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

The Content "Like" Cycle

While browsing my Feedly this morning, I came across an infographic on Likeable that directly relates to our class discussions.

 

Per the strategize section, 60% of businesses do not have an integrated social media strategy. Seems like some business leaders can benefit from participating in the discussion we had on our blogs last week!

The Importance of Strategic Communications

A strong communications strategy is critical
for organization success.
Image via Creative Commons.

Strategic Communications

The team of Argenti, Beck, and Howell (2005) assert that, for organizations today, “developing an integrated, strategic approach to communications” is critical to success (p. 83). I absolutely agree with this characterization of communications as a key part of any company’s strategy. In our increasingly social world, we’ve seen a significant increase in the demand for corporate transparency; we’ve also seen several blunders from brands that have not prioritized the development of a communication strategy, especially in times of crisis. Aligning communications with corporate strategy, as Argenti, Beck, and Howell (2005) suggest, ensures that various constituents understand a brand’s purpose, vision and function – and encourages audiences (both internally and externally) to “move behind it” (p. 83-84). 

Integrating the Message

This concept of strategic communication is the driving force behind the practice of integrated marketing communication (IMC): that messages emanating from every channel related to a brand are clear, consistent and in line with corporate strategy. Each communication-related function (media relations, employee communications, investor relations, etc.) serves a specific role within an organization, but these often-separate departments must work in harmony to ensure a brand’s message is effective across all channels by all audiences. 

In order for strategic communications and IMC to be effective, an organization must understand the kinds of messages to deliver to each audience, and how to deliver messages. This chart explains the various communication functions within an organization, the objectives of each function, its constituencies and channels (Argenti et. al, p. 87). 

Social Media and Transparency

Social media offers yet another way for organizations to engage with constituencies, and gives organizations an opportunity to implement communication strategy in real time. Argenti, Beck, and Howell (2005) noted that “effective strategic communication is based on truth” (p. 87). According to Gleeson (2012), utilizing social media “ensures a certain level of accountability” from an organization (para. 8), thus building trust and loyalty from audiences.

Alignment

Created by Kait Smith

Qualman (2013) said, “As a result of our ability to have constant connectivity, people believe that immediate, simple, and constant communication matters” (p. 149, para. 1). This belief effectively summarizes the need for strategic communications and how social media can enhance brand communication. In order to build trust among constituents and to keep a brand on the forefront of audiences’ minds, everyone within an organization must be on the page. Having a communications plan in place – and using the right channels to deliver messages – keeps an organization relevant, builds trust, and positions it for future success.

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References:

Argenti, Howell, & Beck (2005). The strategic communication imperative. MIT Sloan Management Review. Retrieved from https://www.dartmouth.edu/~opa/communicators/fall08/reading/Sloan_MIT_Strat_Comm_Imp.pdf

Gleesen, B. (2012, Oct. 31). 6 ways brands build trust through social media. Forbes. Retrieved from: http://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2012/10/31/6-ways-brands-build-trust-through-social-media/ 

Qualman, E. (2013). Socialnomics: How social media transforms the way we live and do business. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.