The Power of Social
In a very short time, social networks have fundamentally changed the way many customers expect to interact with businesses writes Oracle’s Atul Tuli.
In recent years, if a customer had a support question, the person would typically refer to the support site and if, the answer wasn’t easy to find, call the contact centre. Now if a customer goes to the company’s support site or customer forum and doesn’t quickly get the answer, the satisfaction levels dip and the person will search elsewhere to see if others have encountered the same issue. At this stage, customers usually turn to social platforms or forums, which are the biggest source for such answers. The negative impact of dissatisfaction with the online experience cannot be overstated. If customers are not satisfied with the information they find when first arriving at a business website, they are more than twice as likely to visit a competitor’s site as they are to make a call to the company’s contact centre. Further, these customers are less likely to visit the site again to buy online from this organisation.
Reaching out to the customer
No one likes to reinvent the wheel. That is why when we as consumers run into issues, it is our natural inclination to try to find out if others have run into the same issue and what they did to resolve it. Given this, a company-sponsored customer forum can be a great focal point for customers. By creating a vibrant customer forum, an organisation will gain a lot of near-term and long-term benefits. A forum is where a lot of customers start when they need answers. When done right, company-sponsored forums can be the first and best place for customers to go when they want questions answered. With effective moderation, reputation models, and flexible control, customer forums can deliver significant value to the enterprise and customers alike. Organizations can also gain a wealth of insights that can be leveraged to foster improvements in product development, quality control, marketing, and other areas of the business as well.
‘Findability’ is key
Even without social networks in the picture, the challenge of navigating server directories, intranets, websites, e-mail folders and other resources to find useful information can be daunting. Customer forums and other social networks added into the mix can threaten to overwhelm internal and external users with noise, rather than come across as meaningful information.
To meet this challenge, organisations need sophisticated search capabilities that derive the true intent from each search. This requires search capabilities very different from those employed by web search platforms such as Google or Yahoo!. To derive a search as true intent, organisations need enterprise knowledge management that features an integrated combination of natural language processing, information lifecycle management, and analytical insight into user behaviours.
Building brands with social media
Social Media also provides a dais for organisations to connect and interact with their stakeholders directly and instantly. With a large user base, consumers leave vital piece of information with each like or comment on the various social media channels. Amassing such information can furnish new insights for brand management.
Marketers need to adopt a further strategic form of communications rather than just spamming customers or prospect customers. This can be manoeuvred through communication leadership via forums, portals and even company websites. Being on a digital platform, means working on quick turn-around time and responsive customer communication. A consistency need to be maintained around messaging. Furthermore, when companies engage with customers openly on social media, they fortify a certain level of accountability.
To sum up, organisations can view the proliferation of social networks as a threat or an opportunity. It can be seen as a threat because of the seemingly endless new data streams social networks generate that needs to be sifted and processed for the information that is useful. However, enterprises need to approach social networking as a huge opportunity – a new way to communicate with and learn from customers in a mode that customers have embraced. By interacting with customers in their familiar mode, organisations can realise significant improvements in not only customer service but also product development, quality assurance, marketing, and virtually every other area of the business. By taking a strategic, knowledge based approach, organisations can most fully leverage the potential of social networks to truly enhance the customer experience and improve business performance.
Atul Tuli is senior sales director, CX Cloud, Oracle APAC.
Latest News
DMARGE Founder Unveils Creator-Led Social Media Agency Feedstar
New creator-led social media agency Feedstar to be aimed directly at Gen Zs. Well, they'd hardly want print, would they?
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): A total of 1,753,000 Aussies Witness Port Adelaide’s Defeat
Seven's AFL numbers almost double that of the NRL last night. The NRL still easily winning for ruptured ACLs.
Hotglue Cashes In With La Trobe Financial Digital Media Account
Hotglue staffers learning their cashflows from their collaterals today after nabbing La Trobe Financial's digital media.
M&C Saatchi’s Sydney Creative Lead Exits
B&T's stopping short of calling it a revolving door at M&C at the present, but there's definitely heat on the hinges.
Taylor Swift’s Music Re-Enters TikTok As Universal Pens Landmark Deal
Yes, B&T may have spent 152 hours failing to get Taylor Swift tickets, but, as you'll read here, it's all behind us now.
HAVAS Red launches inaugural Influencer White Paper
Havas Red has debuted its first influencer white paper. Unless you print it out in colour, of course.
Two Sides Global Campaign Reports Increasing Greenwashing As Organisations Focus On Sustainability
New report confirms greenwashing's on the rise. Apparently Mars' 'work, rest & play' claims also under investigation.
Aruga Launches New HQ & Changed Ownership Structure
PR agency Aruga proves Brisbane is 'so hot right now'. So hot in fact, Adelaide's had to go on anti-anxiety meds.
Delicious & American Express Partner To Launch Month Out 2024 In Sydney
Cost of living got you eating noodles prepared in the two-minute style? Why not live vicariously through this.
Aussie Ad Market Continues Decline In March
The belt-tightening in adland shows signs of a turnaround soon. Bar the belt-loosening at the all-you-can-eat buffet.
VMA Focuses On Skills And Training For Members
If there was a post-COVID hangover (bar the anti-vax ranters) it was the rise in skills shortages. Here's another one.
Nearly 90% Of Consumers Want Transparency About AI Images, Finds Getty Images Report
Study finds consumers want transparency around AI images. Couldn't care less about photoshopped magazine covers.
The National Breast Cancer Foundation Partners With VML To Boost Funds
Anyone else feel we've exhausted the office morning tea for cancer? B&T proposes the office moonshine still instead.
Perry ‘Pez’ Lazaris Named New National Hit Network Announcer
Why is it mandatory for the media to only publish the nicknames of people in radio & underworld crime figures?
Before Adland: Garry Dawson’s Journey From Teacher To Marketer
Here, the Hopeful Monsters marketer talks his shift from the classroom to the room wherever marketers congregate.
Scott Cam Urges Tradies To Prioritise Sun Protection
The Block host promoting sun protection to tradies. Also, don't try getting into the RSL after 6pm wearing high viz.
PubMatic Study: Advertising On Retail Media Is 50% More Effective Than Social Media
New study finds retail media 50% more effective than social. B&T says two-for-one Tim Tams trumps the lot.
From MOWING to life GROWING: Jim Penman launches ‘Life Coaching’ services
Can't decide on getting the hedges trimmed or finding a deeper meaning to life? You're in luck with this new venture.
Budweiser Brazil Turns Songs That Name Drop The Iconic Brand Into Spotify Ads
It's strange that Budweiser never found a market among beer-swilling Aussies. Then again, neither did the fluffy duck.
Effie Worldwide Strengthens Board With 6 New Members
B&T hopes everyone's wearing their Maseur sandals at the Effies, as it's standing room only at the next board meeting.
Special Enlist A Penguin Named Nigel In Latest Energy Campaign For Contact
Special unveils Nigel the penguin in work for energy provider Contact. Apparently Percy the peacock was booked.
Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth & George Miller Ignite Sydney For Epic Mad Max Launch
The Mad Max film franchise is Australia's cinematic gift to the world. That & Chris Hemsworth's near perfect cheekbones.
IAS Launches First-To-Market Integration With Roblox To Provide 3D Immersive Measurement
Always thought you could do with better 3D immersive measurement? Happy days are ahead here.
Fast And Furious: Top Gear Australia Launch Thrilled Motorheads, Car Entusiasts And Guests
B&T is still no closer to knowing who the new Stig is, except that she is a woman and a ridiculously fast.
TV Ratings (02/05/2024): Seven’s The 1% Club Wins The Night
The 1% club did not live up to its name when it comes to TV ratings last night.
TRA Welcomes Raft Of New Hires; Bolstering Expertise Across Markets
Insights and research agency TRA announces slew of new hires. Still no news on the return of marble wash denim, however.
CX Lavender Hires Boston Consulting Group’s Kim Verbrugghe as Chief Strategy Officer
CX Lavender announces new strategy hire and channels 'acoustic folk act at local RSL' for the publicity pic.
Opinion: Community standards, will they be the death of us?
This columnist is talking community standards. Sadly not those people who put dogs in trolleys in supermarkets.
Tegel gets heads bobbing with new free-range chicken platform
Sure, there's a lot of moral considerations when buying a chook. Yet, not as baffling as buying eggs or canned tuna.
Study: 66% of Aussie men believe masculinity is under attack
Two-thirds of Aussie blokes say masculinity's under attack. That said, sales of Solo lemon drink appear robust.
‘Equal Writes’: Canyon reveals new campaign and refreshed brand for women and non-binary writers
As this brand redesign again proves, nothing beats black on white. Well, white on black in this instance.
Icon Agency bolsters consumer and integrated offer with major hires
Icon Agency unveils new recruits. As press photo confirms office moustache competition now a lay-down misère.
Clemenger launches agricultural graduate program
Has Farmer Wants A Wife triggered an interest in dagging & hay balers? This grads program may resonate.
Levi’s Appoint UM As Global Media Agency For $217m Account
Levi's are the jeans for rockstars, models & the cool kids. Although that's not stopped dads from ruining their image.
QMS Nabs Sean Rigby From oOh!media
Things set to get spicy at the next Outdoor Media Association dinner and dance as a rival gets poached.
Bumble Reveals New Brand Identity To Usher In New Era Of Dating
It's ironic that all the dating apps market themselves as having no weirdos, freaks or mummy's boys like their rivals.