Category Archives: Social Media

Case Study in Customer Service – Twitter Style

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Lately it seems that anyone I talk to about social media is scared of twitter. It is perceived to be  a “new techy, geeky thingy;” and closer to the truth, we are scared of the unknown.  What’s worse, there have been many nay-sayers, lawyers with postings on possible arbitration, and skeptics who expect Twitter to either have a quick turn around (ROI) or it’s deemed a waste of time.

As an experiment, we began our twitter account in March of 2009 and slowly began following peers in our industry, local businesses, and the like which lead to a group of followers and a voice within the construction industry and community here in Orange County, California.

In August of 2009 we began the first phase of a large, two-phase project in Chatsworth, California, for a returning client, Earth Island Natural Foods, the manufacturer of the Follow Your Heart product line. Imagine our surprise when the mention column of tweetdeck showed a disgruntled employee of our client!

dj081409@DanielleJangmi: @rigginsconst you guys are sure making a lot of noise downstairs here at Earth Island! my head hurts and its only 8:30am!

What should I do?  This is where everyone freaks out about being a business on twitter:  negative comments on your service, brand, or product.  I will admit that I hesitated a bit, but once I saw this tweet from the head chef one of the chefs at our client’s facility, I put a call into our field superintendent, Mike Schnabel.

I informed him of the content and he immediately went upstairs and spoke with Danielle, explaining the situation to both her and her co-workers. Continue reading →

T-what? What is twitter? Why do you do it? What’s the point?

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bridgettwitterPeople often ask me, “What is twitter? Why do you do it? What’s the point?”

Twitter helps you build your brand and reach out to new customers: this is true. However, just as traditional in-person networking such as sporting events, seminars, and lunch meetings, creates and develops relationships, twitter exposes both you and your business to new ideas, alternate perspectives, and puts you in touch with your peers, not just potential clients.

In the article “Twitter: A Business Tool You Can’t Live Without” from the OCMetro (@OCMetro) the following quote rings true:

“One of the best analogies I know about social networking is that networks like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. are like going to parties. One advantage different from a normal party you attend in person is that social networks obviously let you meet more people, and geography is not a barrier. I’ve heard many people say Twitter is a waste of time, but if your customers are there, why aren’t you?”

–  Bryan Elliott, SoCal Action Sports Network, @bryanelliott

On Twitter we, as the community of followers, build relationships, ask questions, share links and information, exchange ideas, peer review work, engage in customer service, and laugh a little.  It’s an electronic think-tank at your fingertips.

Social media is very forgiving; don’t be afraid to step out and try something new.  The key to learning and adapting to twitter is frequency, not duration.  Spend five to ten minutes a day using it; it’s just like learning a new language.

Synopsis of Twitter Seminar by Orange County Register ( #Tweet2Win )

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tweet2win-011210On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, both Tom Riggins, President, and Bridget Willard, Office Manager, attended a free seminar presented by two Orange County Register social media experts entitled “Tweets2Win.”

The 90-minute workshop focused on “how and why you should be using Twitter to expand the visibility of your business and to better understand the markets that you compete in!”

The presentation, for their limited 90 minutes, did a wonderful job encompassing topics for the new-to-twitter folks as well as those who have been using it for years.

One of the main themes presented by both Jon Lansner (@jonlan) and Kevin Sablan (@ksablan) is the value and importance of using social media, specifically twitter, to listen.  It’s important to know what your competitors are doing. This is why Jon Lansner, a reporter for the Orange County Register (@OCRegister), follows The LA Times (@latimes) on Twitter.

People, known to businesses as consumers, now see through the strict scripts, glossy photos, and slick jingles of Madison Avenue.  Through social media, people are talking directly to corporations and building relationships.  The people have become information disseminators.

The demographic of twitter users puts even more weight into the need to engage.  The median age of a twitter user is 31 and 53% of them are female.  Twitter users, by the nature of the platform, want to be well informed.  In fact, 76% of them read the newspaper online. Continue reading →