Collaboratory
The Collaboratory is our Social Business collaborative lab where we engage and explore an ongoing discussion, share thoughts, opinions, and ideas on Social Business.
Taking On Social Customer Service
Blog PostSocial customer service shatters the structured nature of call center operations. Complaints received at all hours. Product issues resolved in public. Resolution expected instantly. Service volumes unpredictable — at least initially. One customer criticism quickly spirals into ten, as other customers also take the opportunity to voice their dissatisfaction. The company is under fire — without any
Listening: make the effort
Blog PostLike many other evolutionary adaptations, we’ve all evolved to look like good listeners-- in life, to give off the cue we’re available for emotional support, and in marketing, to show executives and/or the public, we’re aware of what’s being said about us and/or our brands. Problem is, in marketing, as in life, many of us are not good listeners.
5 Hard-Earned Lessons in Social Media Listening and Response
Blog PostWe recently undertook a rapid (and non-exhaustive) review of the social media listening and response tool landscape for a client. Like many of you, our eyes began to glaze over after we reviewed video demos and read marketing materials. It seemed like every tool was exactly the same. On the surface there was almost no differentiation among tools, but as we began our detailed briefings we learned that things were not quite what they seemed.
Social Business Intelligence: Positioning a Strategic Lens on Opportunity
Blog PostRecently I've been tracking the growth of social analytics and the means of delivering well on it. Connecting it to the needs of the business is the next step beyond basics of collating, aggregating, and identifying patterns in what the world is doing that affects your organization. On ZDNet recently, I explored the rapidly growing trend of big data. Collectively, big data represents a set of highly innovative new ways that companies are developing to distill value from the sheer scale, richness, and complexity of today's vast networks of people and their data, of which the Internet is just the biggest example. It is social media in particular, however, where big data and business value intersect.
Moving from Social Media Monitoring to Social Business Intelligence
Blog PostI have been thinking more and more about the various strands to Social Business Intelligence, which is a major area of focus for us here at Dachis Group in 2011. At our London summit earlier this year, I spoke about the way open data inside and outside organisations can uncover new sources of value and help drive performance improvement. Yesterday, at the lovely Social Media Influence Conference, I spoke about how the field of Social Media Monitoring will become more real-time, operational and valuable as it moves towards Social Business Intelligence. In summary, I think social media monitoring will evolve towards real-time data-driven business improvement based on socialising customer insight within the firm as a whole, not just within marketing and outbound communications.
The Future of Listening: If We Know What We Know…
Blog PostThe problem with the new dark coffee mugs in the office is that we used to have white ones. Thus, what used to be a known-- the stains, has became a known unknown: a dark mug hiding the stains within. Gives me pause every time I use them- I know something's there, I just don't know how bad it is. Humor me for a second and see how I'm like a proverbial client in a non-customer-centric organization: I know my customers are complaining, but I don't know exactly what they're saying, or how much better my product could fit their needs.
The Bias Lurking in Your Listening
Blog PostThe other day my father asked me if I was happy and I responded “I don’t know.” He laughed out loud, as if to suggest it would make more sense for me to say yes or no, something definitive. I didn’t know what he meant by “happy” and wanted clarification before I gave an inaccurate answer. Happiness can be so complex. How did I know if he was asking me about my current mood or my long-term satisfaction with life? Like any researcher, if I don’t understand the question being asked, I’m reluctant to give an answer. This rarely happens in an interview. Never happens on a survey. People will always provide an answer as much as meetings will fill the entire hour. Inherent in those answers is an assumption that each other’s definition of a given topic/construct are the same, take happiness. Guess what? This happens in Listening too.
Social signals and dog tricks
Blog PostLast weekend, I was woken abruptly by a high-pitched electronic "chirp." As I stumbled around the house in darkness, I started thinking about my dogs and how they relate to social business.
SXSWi 2011: The Biz of Buzz
Blog PostWhat do we know from being in the business of buzz since the early days? Dachis Group Kate Niederhoffer, one of the earliest players in the online listening space, shares her thoughts in this SXSWi 2011 panel.
Kodak’s Tom Hoehn on Designating Official Social Roles
Blog PostOne of the key questions Dachis Group clients face on their journey toward social business transformation is when, if ever, to establish designated social roles in existing business units. This is a serious question as headcount begets expense and expense demands ROI. There is no "one size fits all" approach to designating official social roles, but it can be instructive to review the rationale of experienced brands who have already taken the plunge. To that end, Caroline Dangson and I recently contacted Tom Hoehn, Director of Interactive Marketing and Convergence Media at Kodak, to discuss his recent appointment as Chief Listener to the Kodak social media team. Below, please find the transcripts from an e-mail interview on the topic.