THE PRACTITIONER

Jessica Tsai, Associate Editor of CRM Magazine and avid user of social media, discusses the importance of social media in corporate customer relations. It has been said that brand awareness is the primary motivator for companies to engage in social media, but as Jessica points out to Wunderkind Public Relations, customer relationship management can be enhanced greatly by maintaining an awareness of customer concerns on the Internet and responding appropriately. She explains to readers of The Circle how social media is growing in its importance as a business tool, and also how it is growing as a source of information for her editorial content.

You are very active in social media, how important do you think that engaging in social media is to customer relations?

Social media is one of the most valuable channels a company has at its disposal when it comes to getting a feel for what the market is thinking. The important thing to keep in mind is that social media is typically best used for nurturing and maintaining existing relationships, rather than trying to make a quick sale when someone makes a candid complaint. That said, as an active user, I am also highly aware of just how overwhelming social media can become.

My colleagues and I were astounded when we saw that one social media expert only advocated 30 minutes of social media engagement a week — if that’s the recommended dose, then we’re clearly addicts. On the other hand, we know that it can quickly get out of hand trying to follow every media outlet, let alone every tweet. Therefore, I think that it’s important to have in place monitoring tools that can also provide filters and alerts to keep tabs on your company while you’re busy with your day-to-day.

What’s critical, however, is knowing that when an issue does pop up, you have a strategy in place to resolve it quickly. One vendor used an analogy I found to be really helpful: Customers are reaching out to you and the phone’s ringing off the hook. You alone can decide whether or not you want to answer it, but if no one picks up, people will eventually stop calling.

Can you provide an example of a company using social media in a very effective way to improve or strengthen customer relations? Why in your opinion was this effective?

My favorite part about conferences is, I have to admit, the food. At one particular conference of a big technology vendor, the press room received a huge batch of corn bread. In my excitement, I tweeted about the delivery and my colleague, then at a conference in a different city, tweeted back expressing her envy at my good fortune. What we didn’t realize was that the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, where my colleague was staying, was listening. They quickly tweeted back, letting her know that cornbread would be ready and waiting for her at the front desk. Unfortunately, by the time she saw the message, she had already set off for the airport.

A few months later, in a completely different city, my colleague checked into her hotel room to find a tray of cornbread waiting on her bed with a note that read, “Just in case you still have a craving for cornbread. We hope you enjoy your stay. From all your friends at Gaylord Hotels, Opryland, Palms.” As the events unfolded, we were actively capturing it on Twitter and on our blog. We continue to share the story among our colleagues and friends. It’s a tough economy for any business, especially for the travel and hospitality industry — but if the Gaylord is investing in this kind of meticulous customer service, I have no doubt that the hotel is — or will be — reaping the benefits. It’s certainly left a good taste in our mouths.

Measuring social media success can be tricky for companies, what do you think is the best method for creating social media metrics and evaluating social media programs?

I’ve struggled to convey a concrete solution for this marketing challenge in many of the pieces I write pertaining to social media. What I’ve learned from speaking to many marketing experts and industry pundits is that while social media may be the new kid on the block, it’s still just one of the kids. Therefore, like any other marketing campaign, no matter how flashy it may be, you have to apply the same discipline and rigor to the channel.

Digital has only helped marketing get more measurable — but we tend to think that because it’s open and transparent, we can’t “constrain” it with metrics. Use tangible tools such as coupon redemption and keyword pass codes. When you put out a tweet, include a link that sends your readers to a designated landing page (even better, send them to a Web page only users coming through Twitter will see to maximize personalization and relevance). There’s also technology that allows PDFs to be embedded with a code that can be tracked as it gets sent from reader to reader.

As a reporter, to what extent do you receive information via social media that influences what you choose to cover or the content of your coverage?

I want to be relevant and social media helps me do that. When we’re trying to identify a trend, it used to be highly dependent on a pattern of announcements that companies would make. Now, it’s increasingly influenced by the buzz on the Web. We have to monitor the pulse of the industry just as businesses do.

On rare occasions, we may get a whiff of news about companies we cover over (e.g., someone recently changed their LinkedIn profile to reflect that they are no longer at a particular company), prompting us to get a head start on the investigation. Moreover, social media helps us get a more well-rounded viewpoint on any given topic. Rarely are we ever alone in the conversation and, while we do enjoy getting the exclusive on a story, it’s great to hear people writing, sharing, and discussing along with us. From the discussion, we’re not only able to gather more information, but tap into a wealth of potential sources and contributors that can significantly enhance the quality of our stories.

Do you see social media as becoming more important for companies wishing to have strong customer relationships?

Without a doubt. If people are talking about you — and you’re welcome to listen — why wouldn’t you? Rejoice in the positive comments and learn from the negative. Customers are becoming less and less shy about expressing themselves, and technology is giving the “silent majority” a voice, too, albeit subtly. You can see it in the anonymous votes for how helpful a review was, the quality of a YouTube video, or whether someone likes or dislikes a blog post. Facebook now allows you to say you “like” any activity on its site, but I wonder what — or who — it is trying to protect by not providing a “dislike” option, and whether or not doing so will be inevitable. This recession will hopefully help consumers be better consumers, and companies be better companies. As we all get smarter, our relationships become more demanding, but they’re more real and therefore, much more committed.

You can follow Jessica on Twitter @jesstsai and read her on the Destination CRM blog.

The Circle taps a brain trust of expert business advisors to discuss the latest trends and issues that matter most to B2B decision makers. More than a Q&A, more than a discussion forum, The Circle helps business leaders expand their circle of influence by tapping into expert input on topics designed to help propel B2B companies forward. Once inside, readers are empowered to leave comments, offer additional insights, discuss alternative viewpoints, share new ideas and ask questions of the featured experts. Become a part of The Circle. Join the conversation.

Click here to return to The Circle landing page