Social customer managed relationships

 I consider myself a social customer. But what does that really mean? “To be” a social customer. What do you have to “do” to “be” one?

First and foremost to be a social customer I have to be social. But what makes me “do” social is the capabilities that are now available to me. Those capabilities are media tools that are social.

As a social customer I am able to “do” the following:

• I can manage my relationships with companies using these social media tools.
• I can converse with companies using these social media tools.
• I can offer ideas to companies using these social media tools.
• I can ask for a company’s advice using these social media tools.
• I can get instant feedback from companies using these social media tools.
• I can observe companies using these social media tools.
• I can observe people within companies using these social media tools.
• I can complain to companies using these social media tools.
• I can recommend companies using these social media tools.\
• I can converse with other customers using these social media tools.
• These social media tools have done what for the social customer?
• They’ve improved my buying decisions.
• They’ve improved my knowledge on how to’s
• They’ve improved my experience.
• They’ve improved my interest.
• They’ve improved my “jobs to be done”
• They’ve improved my ability to co-create value”
• They’ve improved my word of mouth opportunities
• They’ve improved my control of my decisions.
• They’ve improved my ability to customize products/services

But these social media tools didn’t do it, sure they offered the means, but it’s the companies that made it happen, because they understand the social customer’s “job” which is to take back control of their “consumerism”

Consumerism meaning I control how I consume my interactions with companies.

• I control who I listen to.
• I control who I take advice from.
• I control what I exactly want.
• I control the information that is reliable.
• I control the management.

Just like social media tools didn’t do it for companies, neither did they do it for me as a social customer. I did it,

A social customer is also a conscious customer, who now understands that they have taken back control of their decisions, I ignore what I don’t want and I attract what I want.

Just like SCRM (Social Customer Relationship Management) is the companies perspective, SCMR (Social Customer Managed Relationships) is mine. Two sides of the same coin

My job as a social customer who manages my relationship with these companies is to:

• Get a closer look at these companies and in turn they get a closer look at me.
• Get better information from these companies and in turn get better information from me
• Find out if i can trust these companies (this takes time and its ongoing) and in turn what it takes for me to trust them (usually a great "jobs to be done" product and service :)

These social media tools have given "us" that opportunity. Us: The social customer/business.

From the social customers perspective who understands that in order to make better buying decisions, I must “connect”

From the social business perspective who understands that in order to make better products/services, they must "connect"

From this connection:

• A social customer expects these social media tools to be used by companies,

A social customer expects you to have:

• A twitter account(s)
• A blog that I can comment on and follow the comments through email or rss feed.
• A mobile app while I’m on the go.
• A facebook fan page where you come to where I spend my time.
• A platform where I can share my ideas with you as they come to me while using your product or service.

A social customer wants you to be there where they are and if you do that, they will oblige by coming to where you are when you need them. Beyond needing them for the transaction, you need more insight. It's a give and take.

As a social customer I’m not interested at all how you make the products better, or improve my customer experience, or indulge me to partake in the “conversation” I’m only interested that you are there where I am when I need you and when i need you, you have something to offer that "gets the job done"

That’s the nature of a social customer.

A social customer “influences” the companies to monitor and gain insight, by "being"social and the companies in return empower the social customer by using that insight to get better and better at improving my “jobs’ in all aspects.

Social Media is a great thing, perhaps the best thing of our time, but what makes it even better is the people behind these tools. The people make it social, the tools allow us to “do” social, but it’s the person who happens to “be” social.

Quick example, the other day I tweeted a question that asked my followers if anyone has used Highrise (which is a CRM tool) within the hour, I received a tweet directed to me about another product and if I wanted to check it out. Twitter did the social, but myself and the person who sent me the tweet were social enough to connect (the "be" social).

But it didn’t stop there, once I clicked on the provided link, it brought me to their website, (web experience) of which they offered a free demo to see it in action (no download or sign up required) a 30 day free trial. Then I had a question, and I sent them an email through their web form, of which within the hour I received an email followed up by a tweet (note two channels both used) to tell me exactly where to go to find out the answer.

In their eyes I’m still a lead, I’ve probably been added to their CRM tool with my email address, name and twitter account. And that’s that. It’s sitting there. But what made it social CRM to them was the person who probably did a tweet search on the key words, saw my question in the stream and promptly took a few minutes to respond to my question.

Social CRM in action, by people for people, thanks to the tools that can make it happen. I’m pretty sure I will be going with this product, it fits into “my job” to be done, but they made well sure that they did they’re part. As I did mine.

Meaning we both were “social” and we both manage our own relationships.

It helped that they had a simple web experience with video and step by step. "job to be done" done. It helped that they responded promptly. It helped that they cared enough to tweet me.

All because of the people behind the social media tool.

Perhaps my reasoning for writing this post was to get a better understanding of what Wim Rampen posted earlier on twitter a question that asked

“What do you think needs to change most for a #scrm strategy to work in your organization?

My answer is the people have to change, not the tools, but the people becoming more social, more observant, more creative that takes the effort to understand what your managing is yourself and how you interact with people.

Long live social! both in the customer and in the company :)

<social customer> <empowerment>