There is Nothing More Important Than the Customer Experience!

For all of the social and digital media advice and trends I provide on this website, as I preach at conferences, keynotes, when I'm teaching, and anywhere people will listen---all of the social media engagement and listening in the world is trumped by remarkable customer service. 


If you provide remarkable customer service, people will tell others through word of mouth and through social media. Conversely, if you have poor touch points with customer service, people will tell others.

I was flying cross country a couple of weeks ago and had a layover at DFW. Now I know airline gate agents are stressed to the max and have to deal with some outrageous people and situations at times, but watching what was happening for a few hours was amazing.

This happened to be American Airlines. I'm sure American has thousands of amazing people who go out of their way to help customers and make them feel good. However, on this day, at this gate, for a few hours, that wasn't the case. The customers who would approach these gate agents did so politely. For three hours, never did I see a smile. Never did I see anything other than multi-tasking, transaction agents, mostly looking down while "customers" approached them.

Here are a few things to think about:
1. Love your job or leave it. It's not prison.
2. Love your customers or leave them. Your job isn't prison.
3. Provide remarkable customer service that people will talk about, otherwise your business is invisible and no different than any other business.

(c) Digital3000.net  Joseph Barnes
digital3000.net 

Now will you believe me? For marketers---It's all about the content!

I've said this many times before and I will say it again: If you are in any facet of marketing, It's All About the Content! 

It's about the stories you tell on Facebook, in your newsletters, on your websites, in your paid commercials, and in the videos you shoot.

NEW: Now from TechFlash comes this  development:

"Analysts are expecting Amazon.com Inc. to begin producing its own original television programs soon."

Fortune reports that Amazon's television programming unit is headed by a TV production veteran in Los Angeles who previously worked at the Comedy Central network. The story quotes analysts who believe that Amazon, which now is publishing its own books, would be smart to begin producing its own TV shows.

There has been previous speculation about Amazon's possible move into TV production. Amazon formed Amazon Studios in 2010, soliciting screenplays from writers at the time.

Social media for social change for social good.

Social media is so much more than marketing, creating communities, listening to customers and having a two-way dialogue. It's also about using the tools and platforms for change---real change---that makes a difference in the world.

Whether you are an individual, an organization, an association, or a company---it's your (our) responsibility to use these tools for social good.

I'm reminded of a story from 2010 in which a social media leader had a real epiphany --- a real "ah ha" moment about social media for social change. As he tells the story here he is pounding out his blog every day with thousands of readers when his wife comes home and says she wants to help a mother and kids after they became homeless because of a domestic violence situation. The writer took the family in and then  tweeted the need for $5,000 to help set the family up in an apartment. 

Was he surprised. By the next day people had sent in $17,000 via Pay Pal --- and he didn't even know most of these people. 

The moral of this story is to do the same thing. Use your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn connections to help others. Social media for social change for social good.
Joe Barnes

How to Get the Most Out of Social Networks

Emma Hall has an interesting article in AdAge.com about how to get social media engagement without annoying your users. Here are some highlights.

• Nearly a third of social networkers say they are fed up with the constant requests to join groups and try new applications, according to research by the Internet Advertising Bureau in the U.K.
  
• Marketers will need to work harder and keep innovating if they want to harness the consumer power of social networks and persuade people to join their sponsored sites or pages.
• 31% said there are too many invites to install applications.
• 16% said they dislike social network sites "when advertising isn't relevant to me."
  

The IAB research found that exclusive content, which appeals to 28% of social networkers, and a genuine interest in the message, which attracts 37%, are the keys to a positive response from consumers on social networks.

Social Networks & Blogs Pass Email In Usage!

Yes you heard right! Just out from The Nielsen Company may be the biggest news....In 2008, 67% of people online around the world visited what Nielsen calls "member communities," which include both social networks and blogs---ahead of personal email.

And that category grew twice as fast as any of the other four biggest areas, including search, portals, PC software and email.