New media, customer service and other observations
Three and counting….
Three departures of well known news personalities in almost as many weeks.
Dan Rather’s was sobering.
Connie Chung’s was bewildering.
And Amanda Congdon’s…well, I am not taking sides.
I do wish both Rocketboom and Amanda great success. They are helping to transform the news business. As the old adage goes, the show must go on -- even if the site (tongue in cheek) was inactive for a few days.
But it does occur to me that despite all the talk about blogging, vlogging, podcasting and other new technologies and delivery platforms, personalities and human drama will always take the forefront of a news cycle.
And now this….
Customer service is once again in the news…as only new media can deliver it.
The PR departments at AOL and Comcast must be smarting with citizen journalists using the web to publicize their frustration with customer service reps through video cameras and recording devices.
Brings new meaning to the oft heard recorded message…”Your call may be monitored for quality assurance.”
On his blog, Spinfluencer, Eric Schwartzman asks whether these “blog storms” as he calls them “really have a lasting effect?” And John Wagner offers up some advice for dealing with social media cloudbursts.
Anyone in the customer service business has had to weather consumer complaints played out in the media. So no stones will be thrown here from glass houses.
For some perspective on the impact of new media, I asked brand expert and Atlanta co-resident Laura Ries. Her take: if the brand is strong enough and its reputation secure, the company can endure this type of negative publicity -- whether it comes from “60 Minutes” or a heretofore unknown blogger.
My take: To extend the weather metaphor one step further – Some companies have actually enhanced their reputations during a crisis, while others have failed miserably. But while a company may begin repairing its reputation in a storm, the real work for building customer loyalty is done during the calm that precedes the storm.
Let me get back to you.
Three departures of well known news personalities in almost as many weeks.
Dan Rather’s was sobering.
Connie Chung’s was bewildering.
And Amanda Congdon’s…well, I am not taking sides.
I do wish both Rocketboom and Amanda great success. They are helping to transform the news business. As the old adage goes, the show must go on -- even if the site (tongue in cheek) was inactive for a few days.
But it does occur to me that despite all the talk about blogging, vlogging, podcasting and other new technologies and delivery platforms, personalities and human drama will always take the forefront of a news cycle.
And now this….
Customer service is once again in the news…as only new media can deliver it.
The PR departments at AOL and Comcast must be smarting with citizen journalists using the web to publicize their frustration with customer service reps through video cameras and recording devices.
Brings new meaning to the oft heard recorded message…”Your call may be monitored for quality assurance.”
On his blog, Spinfluencer, Eric Schwartzman asks whether these “blog storms” as he calls them “really have a lasting effect?” And John Wagner offers up some advice for dealing with social media cloudbursts.
Anyone in the customer service business has had to weather consumer complaints played out in the media. So no stones will be thrown here from glass houses.
For some perspective on the impact of new media, I asked brand expert and Atlanta co-resident Laura Ries. Her take: if the brand is strong enough and its reputation secure, the company can endure this type of negative publicity -- whether it comes from “60 Minutes” or a heretofore unknown blogger.
My take: To extend the weather metaphor one step further – Some companies have actually enhanced their reputations during a crisis, while others have failed miserably. But while a company may begin repairing its reputation in a storm, the real work for building customer loyalty is done during the calm that precedes the storm.
Let me get back to you.
