But as I wrote in Be Human & Listen, This is the Best Advice We Have?:
And that's the really key question. Despite the boom of SM and this discussions that companies need to open a dialogue with and listen to their customers, how many companies are making changes to their core business processes to reflect a true believe that we've entered the age of relationships.
As I listened to person after person say that SM is changing how companies are doing business, I tried to look at the retailers and companies I do business with to see if they've made any core business changes and honestly, I can't say that I've seen a lot of changes. Have you? Think of the companies you visit or shop. What core changes have they made thanks to social media? Sure, everyone likes to talk about a company like Zappos, but Zappos is an excellent company that uses SM, they're not an excellent because they use SM.
Remember the stat from The Experience Disconnect? 80% of CEO's believe their companies give superior customer service. 8% of their customers agree.
I then asked a question that I think will be part of a customer service chat in the future: Are people who participate in a Twitter chat about customer service different then the average consumer? Do we see things differently then the average consumer? Is the fact the some folks in SM have such a reputation that when they make a complaint say on Twitter, the company responds faster then they would for an average consumer? I've had some very fast responses on Twitter, but I've also had companies never reply to a question or request.
And I'm wondering if there's too much of an echo chamber in the Twitterverse. Are we really in touch with what the average consumer is doing? Are people who are not participating in Twitter chats about customer service really seeing a change in how companies respond to them? And what companies are really changing the way that they do business because of social media.
So, I'm asking that question. Can you identify companies that are fundamentally changing how they do business because of SM? And I would separate large, multinational companies from smaller, regional companies, although I'd love to have both on the list. What companies have started really treating their employees differently because of SM? How much of what we're seeing is short term vs. long terms changes?
If you have companies to add, put them in the comments below. Please add the companies and the changes they've made to their business. I will gladly share the list as it gets built.
If you believe that SM is really changing how companies do business, let's start seeing the examples. My personal experience is that most companies might be talking about the changes, but I'm not seeing the changes on the frontlines.
You can read all of my posts about the future of customer experiences at Polinchock's Ponderings: Customer Experience.
Great Question -- Why Don't Brands Create Better Experiences? - Polinchock's Ponderings.
Is This the Ad Future? Customer Service Wins Titanium in Cannes - Polinchock's Ponderings.
Another Reason to Think Oneline™ - Polinchock's Ponderings.