In the new world of Web 2.0, the fine line between marketing and customer service is often blurred. Since 70% of the US and Canadian population use the internet, the internet has become a medium for learning about products as well as letting everyone know their faults. As stated in this post at CMS Wire, companies are having to adjust the way they view social media on the web as a way to provide value and a creative outlet to allow current and future customers a platform for discussion.
One bad experience can be posted in a blog, and the world can find out about it through a search on the company. Other forms that customers can hear about experiences: wikis, forums, Digg, Reddit, Technorati, and del.icio.us to name a few.
But given the right outlet, customers can empower a brand in a positive light. This can promote the value of the brand in the eye of the customer, as stated by Brian Solis, blogger and founder of FutureWorks:
Companies that apply resources to help steer and bolster their brand across the social web create relationships that ultimately pay dividends in the form of customer loyalty and referrals. Relationships are the currency of social media.
It’s important to see this new form of customer service. Many companies are overlooking the power of social media as a customer service tool. What’s the best company you’ve seen use Web 2.0 as a way to empower their customers?
You are making a very salient point that businesses of all sizes should not ignore. As you point out, companies should be proactive in creating a visible and credible social media presence. They also need to monitor what is being said about them, their competitors and their industry. Fortunately, there are numerous Web 2.0 tools that can be harnessed to make this monitoring systematic.
ReplyDeleteJohn I. Todor, Ph.D., author of Get with it! The Hands-on Guide to Using Web 2.0 in Your Business.
Thanks for commenting on our blog, John! I agree, companies need to adapt to the new was customers are communicating. Web 2.0 can easily be utilized to do this.
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