Going Groundswell



My name is Ashley and I have a problem!

I wasn't sure if I would continue this blog after I finished my class last month, but today I have a new reason to write.  You see, I recently took what I learned about the power of social media and applied it to solve a real life problem.

A Tale of Missing Dresses and Horrible Customer Service

To give you the short(er) version, I am a bridesmaid in my brother’s wedding next month.  In February, my sister and I went to an Alfred Angelo store in North Attleboro, MA to order our dresses.  We were given an estimated shipment date of May 4^th and told, at the latest, they would arrive in 14 weeks.  This is week 14 and neither of us have our dresses.  When I stopped by the store yesterday to check on this situation, I was brushed off, scolded for ordering late, told no one knew where my dress was or when it would arrive and verbally attacked for asking to speak to a manager.  I left without my dress, but with the determination to fix this situation myself.

Don’t Get Even…Get Social

In addition to the 3 page email (see that was the short version) that I sent to Alfred Angelo customer service and the Better BusinessBureau, I shared my story on the Alfred Angelo Facebook page.  For some reason my wall posts kept disappearing (the joys of timeline), so I reposted it as a comment on the company’s post.  To Alfred Angelo’s credit, my comments were not deleted.  In fact, someone responded in a timely and helpful manner.  Five simple sentences that made me feel better and left me with a shred of respect for this company.  As it turns out, I wasn’t the only one singing the bridal shop blues.

For good measure, and to warn other unsuspecting potential customers, I also shared my story on Foursquare, Local.com and Google Reviews.

They Said “Yes” to Finding My Dress

The moral of this story is that social media works.  Today I received apologies from the Alfred Angelo Facebook page, the head customer service representative and the North Attleboro store manager.  I like to think that my use of social media is partly why.   It gave me the platform to stand up to an international company and tell them that I, Ashley, a customer who spent $140 on a single dress, matter.  I deserve to receive the product that I paid for and to be treated with respect.  I am told that my dress is now in the United States and will be available to pick up this Friday – exactly 14 weeks to the day that I ordered my dress.  While this experience has been less than pleasant, I will be happy to forget about it once I can confirm it has arrived.

Social Media Innovation In Higher Education

Social Media Innovation in Higher Education

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Ubiquitous Groundswell: The Evolution of Social Media

Undercover Boss (YouTube)

If you’ve ever seen the CBS show “Undercover Boss,” you know how hard it can be for larger corporations to communicate.  Typically, employees are spread out across the country – if not the world - and bosses are focused on the bottom line as opposed to the individual workers.  The CEO spends a week working various jobs and learns first hand how the company can better serve its employees, and thus itself.

“Internal groundswell applications […] can make them feel empowered, connected and more committed on a day-to-day basis.” (Li & Bernoff 216)

But even before the show first aired, there were companies like Best Buy using social media to overcome these internal communication struggles.  The company launched an online community called Blue Shirt Nation in 2006.  All employees were encouraged to use the site to reach out to other employees and to share ideas with bigger bosses.  It gave them a voice to request email addresses and to protest a proposed decrease in the employee discount.  According to Groundswell authors Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff, “Blue Shirt Nation brought blue shirts together for listening and problem solving.” (220)  The community became so popular, that by 2008, organizers decided it needed an upgrade. 

Read Steve Bendt’s blog post:  Blue Shirt Nation Evolution - Staying True to the Learning

BSN Mix was later discontinued as the company shifted its social media priorities to include employees and customers.  Best Buy now operates through a variety of social platforms – everything from Facebook to community forums.  And it has seen a lot of success through Twelpforce – a technology twitter feed that allows customers to get their questions answered directly by employees.

As Li and Bernoff suggest at the end of their book, the groundswell is quickly transforming into the “ubiquitous groundswell.”  In other words, it’s a part of our life from the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep.  It’s as important for our social connections as it is for fulfilling our work obligations.  To succeed in this environment one must “live in the groundswell and grow as it grows.” (234)  This is important for companies like Best Buy, but even more so for educational institutions.  After all, the students they’re trying to recruit are the pioneers of many new groundswell technologies.

Read:  7 Ways Universities Are Using Facebook as a Marketing Tool

What do you think of UK's social media strategy?

The University of Kentucky is an example of the ubiquitous groundswell.  The school uses actual wooden signs shaped like Facebook place markers to indicate mobile check-in locations on campus.  So even if students aren’t on a computer or mobile phone, they’re faced with social media symbols in everyday life.  Three years ago, no one would know what the sign meant.  Now it’s taken to be a universally understood part of our culture.  That’s how fast the groundswell is changing.  It has virtually become a part of our reality.

Apped to be Social?

A friend just sent me an article about the Forecast app, which claims to help predict the future.  It seemed silly, but I thought I’d check it out.

Read the article: Have Facebook?  You can now check into the future with Forecast.

Basically you can tell friends where you’re going to be and at what time, so they can plan to join you if they want to.  The beta version launched last summer, but I don’t know of anyone who’s using it.  And I’m not sure why they would.

“The groundswell is about to get embedded within every activity, not just on computer but on mobile devices and in the real world.” (Li and Bernoff, 235)

In the book Groundswell, the authors talk a lot about groundswell thinking and the fact that it’s not going away.  In the last chapter they focus on the future, calling it the “ubiquitous groundswell.”  But the book came out four years ago, so is Forecast a sign that the ubiquitous groundswell is already here?

A new way to make plans?

Just like Foursquare, Forecast could be a great way for advertisers and companies to learn more about you and target you with relevant products or services.  But is it really socially more helpful?  If I wanted a friend to meet me somewhere, I’d invite them.  If a friend wanted to know where I was, I’d tell them.  To me this app seems like one more way to avoid actual human interaction.

Don’t get me wrong, I downloaded the Facebook app immediately after purchasing my smart phone, and I use it almost every day.  I also stay connected with my Gmail app. But I wonder if I any of the other apps I use are actually making me more social.

Do you prefer solo games
like Tetris, or social games
like Words with Friends?

If I’m bored I’ll use my Tetris app, but I try to limit myself to one game.  It’s so addicting, I swear I’ve seen the shapes in my head even when I’m not playing!  It’s great to have in an empty waiting room, but I’ve caught myself playing it when I’m out to eat with my family, which is not only anti-social but just plain rude! 

I haven’t tried Words With Friends yet, but I know that way I could play with other people.  I think I do need to expand to more social apps, but I don't think I'll be downloading Forecast anytime soon.  Would you use Forecast?  What are you favorite social apps?  Any suggestions for me?

Is there really an app for everything? (YouTube)

Surviving Social Media Backlash

Dell recalls batteries after reports of "exploding laptops" (YouTube)

It’s a bad day for everyone when a laptop spontaneously combusts.  It happened to several Dell customers in 2006, including one man whose laptop went up if flames at a conference in Japan. 

(Engadget.com)

Pictures of the “flaming notebook” fueled Dell’s already-vocal critics in the blogosphere.  In many ways, it was rock bottom for a company that had initially succeeded with its offering of custom built laptops and a reputation for high customer satisfaction.

Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff, authors of the book Groundswell, dub this time “Dell hell.”  But they also explain how social media helped the company regain its customer focus and restore brand loyalty. 

“Authenticity was crucial.  Dell couldn’t get anywhere in the groundswell until it honestly admitted its flaws.”

(Li and Bernoff, 211)

In July 2006, Product PR person and Chief Blogger, Lionel Menchaca, addressed the “flaming notebook” situation on Dell’s official blog and assured followers they were actively looking into the suspected cause.  

Read the post:  “Flaming Notebook” 

A month later the post was updated with a link to recall guidelines for the faulty lithium ion batteries presumed to have caused the fire.  Instead of further criticism, most people responded with gratitude.  Dell was finally admitting its flaws and showing a commitment to making changes.

While Dell learned its lesson, other companies have continued to make customer service mistakes and have subsequently faced the wrath of social media.  In July 2011, Netflix announced it was doubling its rate and splitting services into two different companies.  Netflix would continue to offer video streaming services, while a new company called Qwikster would distribute the dvds.  Instead of paying $8 per month for both services customers would pay $8 per month for each service.  The result - Netflix stocks suffered as roughly 800,000 customers ended their subscription. 

These are just 2 of the 81,754 comments on the Netflix Facebook page following its announcement.

The customers who stayed criticized the company for choosing a new name that was already in use on Twitter.  People who searched for the handle @Qwikster found tweets featuring profanities and drug references.  In September, Netflix apologized for its "arrogance "and in October the company officially ended its plans to separate services.

Read the post:  DVDs Staying at Netflix

Had Netflix read Chapter 10 of Groundswell, it may have avoided the backlash.  The company was already well-established in social media, but it wasn’t using the groundswell to effectively engage or listen to customers.  Instead, it boldly announced a major change and simply assumed customers would go along with it.  Maybe next time Netflix will take advantage of the customer insight at its fingertips.

Confessions of a Shopaholic Turned Social Media Success

(Confessions of a Shopaholic, YouTube)

I like to shop – for things I need, for things I want, and sometimes, for things I don’t know I want until I see them.  I consider myself retail savvy, but I’ve learned a lot from my impulsive past.  I try to avoid buyer’s regret and for a long time that meant I also avoided shopping online.  I changed my mind recently and social media is a big part of the reason why.

Better Comparison Shopping - Practically any item you could want to purchase is available online.  Instead of traveling from one store to the next wasting gas, time and energy you can usually find exactly what you want in a few clicks.  And before you buy, you can use the reviews of other shoppers to help you decide.

"People are far more willing to trust each other than a company." (Li and Bernoff, 158)

 was offering a free smart phone with a new contract around Christmas and I was ready to buy.  I just didn’t know what phone was right for me.  I narrowed it down to two products and compared the specifications. 



HTC Droid Incredible 2





Samsung Galaxy



After looking at the few details I understood and cared about, I decided that I liked the design and camera quality of the HTC better.  The only drawback is that it operates on 3G, while the Samsung has 4G capabilities. Since that isn’t my area of expertise, the customer ratings and reviews were the real tie-breaker.

  

78 people responded to Best Buy's request for feedback on just 2 phones - that's a lot of information with more credibility than I could get from just one employee.

 Besides a better overall rating for HTC, most of the reviews confirmed that it has “great picture quality.”  Meanwhile, the Samsung had a lot of complaints (even in the positive reviews) that the screen freezes and the network has trouble switching out of 4G in areas where it isn’t available. 

I ended up buying the HTC, and like 87% of the customers who reviewed the phone, I also recommended it to others.  My aunt ended up buying one for herself and her husband.  So Best Buy got three sales and the customer feedback eliminated most of the work.  Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff’s book, Groundswell calls this use of social media to better market products “energizing the base. “ 

 Free Fashion Advice - With so many shopping options online, it can be hard to make a decision on your own.  Sometimes what you’re really shopping for is a good opinion.



 is one of my favorite sites.  I usually go there when I’ve seen a style I like, but I’m looking for a better price or a different color.  It also acts as a social networking site where you can create your own looks, join groups run by other members, and give and receive tips by commenting on shared looks.

I shared this look today and I’m excited to see what suggestions other members might have.

Don’t get me wrong.  I still visit plenty of stores in person.  But there’s something nice about shopping with the help of social media.  Have you tried it?  Have you been energized by a particular brand or product to participate in the groundswell?

“Word of mouth works because:  it’s believable; it’s self-reinforcing; it’s self-spreading.” (130)

 

 

Social Media: Creating Conversations

If it can pulverize an iPhone, Blendtec’s Total Blender - featured in the Will it Blend video series - will definitely do the job with your fruits and veggies.  A 2 minute video demonstration was posted on YouTube back in 2007 and has been viewed nearly 10.5 million times since.

Check out the slow-motion replay at 0:38!

After proclaiming the finished product “iSmoke,” Blendtec CEO Tom Dickinson invites viewers to learn more about the blender and submit suggestions for future videos at the Will it Blend minisite.  It’s like a low-budget infomercial gone viral, but it’s also interactive.  According to Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff’s book Groundswell, it’s a great example of social media marketing.

“Blendtec had exploited the groundswell’s viral potential for marketing messages.” (Li and Bernoff, 100)

One the biggest lessons I’ve learned from reading this social media guide, is that people are the most important factor in any online interaction.  Would as many people watch a video showing how the quality of eye glasses is tested?  Maybe, maybe not.  Li and Bernoff say “there is no one ‘right way’ to engage with the groundswell.” (75)  But you’re more likely to succeed if you follow the POST method.  The acronym is a step-by-step process of how to approach social media; it stands for People, Objectives, Strategy and Technology.

Read more: The POST Method by: Josh Bernoff

So how do you find out about people?  It starts with developing a Social Technographics Profile.  In chapter four of Groundswell, the authors describe 6 categories of social media participation: Creators, Critics, Collectors, Joiners, Spectators and Inactives.

Some people fall into multiple catergories - what are you?

According to their research on U.S. adults who are online, the most people – roughly 48% of those surveyed in 2007 - are considered spectators, who “consume what others produce.” (45)  So it makes sense that the most common groundswell activity is watching videos from other users.  Of course most companies would try to develop a more specific profile based on their consumer’s age, country and gender.

Try it now: Social Technographics Profile Tool

As you saw, Blendtec found its social media niche hooking consumers – and other viral video fans – with its online demos.  But the company has capitalized on that success by creating a conversation with customers.  After all, it was a viewer’s idea to blend the iPhone.  The company not only listens to suggestions, but also shares news, live demonstration dates, health tips and recipes on the Will it Blog section of its website.

 “Conversations require work, but they do influence people […] – and not just those who comment, but those who read those comments.” (102)

Sometimes these conversations can be tricky, just ask Facebook.  The social networking site is no stranger to backlash when it comes to layout changes.  It happened when the news feed was introduced and it’s happening again with the upcoming mandatory adoption of Timeline.

Read more: Facebook Timeline:  Disliked by the Masses by: Alissa Skelton

But this time around you actually can ask Facebook – you just might not get a direct response.  In an attempt to be proactive, the company created a Facebook Timeline page where it shares new features and talks about different privacy settings.  The posts get a lot of comments – a good mix of complaints and questions.  Facebook may not have the time to answer everyone, but it has done a lot to prepare users for the change.

Are you ready for Timeline?  Would you delete your account because of this change?