Answers to J. Voss Blog COMI-610L

Q1 ANSWER:  According to Kerpen (p.76), one key strategy is to be prepared to respond quickly to all comments whether good or bad. Those complaining want to know their concerns are being heard, acknowledged and a resolution will be implemented quickly. If not, the individual complaining will seek an alternative source to ensure their concerns are made public. A company’s management team must also understand that by not responding is a strategy that should not be considered as an option. The individual must also respond publicly, verbally and in writing (Kerpen, p.78). Being non-responsive sends a message that the customer’s concern(s) is not important and does not have merit or warrant a response.

The alternative to yesterday’s comment cards or suggestion box is now equivalent to writing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. as a means to not only have one’s concerns going viral and read on social networks, but the comment can also entice a movement for or against a company by millions of social network followers and bloggers, to the point of becoming mainstream media’s hot new topic. Social networks can also garner support from others who may have complained about a company in writing and never received a response from that company. Although the complaint may or may not be legitimate, it should not and cannot be deleted   

The negative and/or positive feedback about a company may not only hurt the company, but may also hurt the company’s reputation and the company’s overall stock value (Kerpen p. 76, 77, 78).  However, keeping the negative (and positive) comments that are posted reveals the company’s effort to respond and to also show that the company provided a resolution to the individual’s concerns, which proves the company’s management heard and listened to their customers and therefore gained the reputation of a company with integrity and having a team of authentic employees who care about their customers. Telling your customers “I’m sorry” does not constitute admission of guilty, but acknowledges a bad experience with the company and for that an apology is appropriate. On a positive note, good feedback from customers equates to brand loyalty for the company and its overall rating in the marketplace compared to the company’s competitors. (Kerpen, p. 79)

Q3 ANSWER:  When one individual is actively listening to another individual, it shows there is interest in what a person has to say.  In todays’ marketplace companies cannot afford to ignore their customers’ concerns because customers want to know their voices are heard especially, by companies that the customer supports financially as repeat buyers and when there are concerns, the customer wants to be heard and feel confident that the company’s management is listening to the customer, which is important to the company building relationships with their customers. This must be an ongoing process between the company’s management and their customers (Kerpen, p. 16).  

Effective listening communicates to customers that they are important and they are heard by management. This is an important social media strategy because customers will share their experiences with their friends on different social networks, which helps to not only expand customers’ reach, but the company’s reach also. This strategy also provides an outlet for the company to introduce product testing, feasibility studies, provide coupons and incentives not only to one customer, but also to that customer’s network of friends. According to Kerpen (p. 16), “… social listening is the ultimate surveying and focus group tool – practically free, and running 24/7/365 for you.”  Listening to the customer and responding to customer-concerns creates a partnership and advocacy between the company’s management, the customer and the customer’s network of friends.

SOURCE:

Kerpen, D. (2011). Likeable social media: how to delight your customers, create an irresistible brand, and be generally amazing on facebook (and other social networks). McGraw-Hill, ISBN 978-0-07-176234-2

G.Cruz