http://drnatnews.com/2009/11/customer-service-ask-a-volunteer/ Where Social Business Gets Talked About Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:24:04 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://drnatnews.com/2009/11/customer-service-ask-a-volunteer/comment-page-1/#comment-155 Anneliza Humlen Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:26:07 +0000 http://drnatnews.com/2009/11/customer-service-ask-a-volunteer/#comment-155 In the world of branding, there is nothing more exciting and rewarding than a truly passionate brand advocate. Both brand and community benefit from the authenticity of the sentiment. Coca-Cola is one of the few brands who can claim such success through the use of social media. The number one Facebook page in 2009 was Coca-Cola with 3.1 million fans, today the fan base for this page has grown to over 4 million. But more impressive than stats is the fact that this page was created not by Coke , but by two very devoted fans. The story of its creation is part of its appeal and success. However, what concerns me is when brands take a good and pure sentiment such as Coke Facebook, and such as Verizon's Mr. McMurry, and attempt to bottle it and replicate. In doing so, they kill the very spirit of the intent by focussing on the tangible vs. intangible equities and drivers of this branded service experience. How could they possibly evolve and nurture this relationship if they did not understand the context or the emotional drivers in the first place? Social engagements are not accidental, nor are brand advocates nurtured overnight. My hope is that in the case of Verizon, they do not rest on their laurels and expect too much of their brand ambassadors. After all, as with any relationship, you need to evolve and grow together over time, and find ways of keeping the conversation and friendship going. Failure to do so will bring imminent distance, and not surprisingly, eventual separation. You may be able to automate software to be independent and run on its own, but you cannot expect the same of people and relationships. In the world of branding, there is nothing more exciting and rewarding than a truly passionate brand advocate. Both brand and community benefit from the authenticity of the sentiment. Coca-Cola is one of the few brands who can claim such success through the use of social media. The number one Facebook page in 2009 was Coca-Cola with 3.1 million fans, today the fan base for this page has grown to over 4 million. But more impressive than stats is the fact that this page was created not by Coke , but by two very devoted fans. The story of its creation is part of its appeal and success.
However, what concerns me is when brands take a good and pure sentiment such as Coke Facebook, and such as Verizon’s Mr. McMurry, and attempt to bottle it and replicate. In doing so, they kill the very spirit of the intent by focussing on the tangible vs. intangible equities and drivers of this branded service experience. How could they possibly evolve and nurture this relationship if they did not understand the context or the emotional drivers in the first place? Social engagements are not accidental, nor are brand advocates nurtured overnight. My hope is that in the case of Verizon, they do not rest on their laurels and expect too much of their brand ambassadors. After all, as with any relationship, you need to evolve and grow together over time, and find ways of keeping the conversation and friendship going. Failure to do so will bring imminent distance, and not surprisingly, eventual separation. You may be able to automate software to be independent and run on its own, but you cannot expect the same of people and relationships.

]]> http://drnatnews.com/2009/11/customer-service-ask-a-volunteer/comment-page-1/#comment-102 admin Sun, 03 Jan 2010 17:37:23 +0000 http://drnatnews.com/2009/11/customer-service-ask-a-volunteer/#comment-102 I agree with you Don! the behaviors I see in social media are amazing. It brings the best out in people! I agree with you Don! the behaviors I see in social media are amazing. It brings the best out in people!

]]> http://drnatnews.com/2009/11/customer-service-ask-a-volunteer/comment-page-1/#comment-84 Don Peppers Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:30:05 +0000 http://drnatnews.com/2009/11/customer-service-ask-a-volunteer/#comment-84 This kind of "crowd service" (Bob Thompson's excellent term) will eventually transform society, not just business. There is a charitable, giving motive behind the super users, and I predict it will spread like any other meme, making human beings - over time - more generous and trustable, as a species. The more people encounter and render this kind of service online, the faster this meme will spread. This kind of “crowd service” (Bob Thompson’s excellent term) will eventually transform society, not just business. There is a charitable, giving motive behind the super users, and I predict it will spread like any other meme, making human beings – over time – more generous and trustable, as a species. The more people encounter and render this kind of service online, the faster this meme will spread.

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