A very cogent post. You are dead on when you write about taking the co-creation track over others. I also like how you salted your post with examples of companies who are engaged in social CRM as opposed to just preaching about the theory. This is a post worth sharing and bookmarking.
I will disagree with you on one point. I don't believe that that social CRM is a tool "that practicaly all use." While a large number of organizations may be using social media, using it as social CRM is a horse of a different color. Just because someone has a Facebook page, doesn't mean they're doing anything with it. Most of them still do not know how to create a community or start a dialogue much less engage in co-creation. I believe that the number of business, government, and nonprofits using social media is still a minority. An even smaller number are using it effectively.
Sure, I've seen the numbers of Facebook users. But I challenge anyone to show me data that says a large number of Facebookers are using it regularly for anything other than posting pictures of their kids or updating us on how their day is going.
But don't let the fact that two of my paragraphs disagree with you and only one agrees. My disagreement is, just as I said, a quibble, and the rest of your post is dead on target.
"Social CRM" is a term which, I think, was coined by Brent Leary. It's come into wide use in the blogosphere by, primarily consultants and those within organizations charged with CRM responsiblities who participate in online conversations around this topic. It is handy to use in the CRM-verse as nearly everyone who has spent time here knows what it means and because it doesn't require a lot of keystrokes.
We don't call it "social CRM" in my organization, we call it an "interactive and new media strategy" (way too many keystrokes for my way of thinking:-) But that's because, the group working on it represents people from multiple departments and divisions and the title adds clarity.
I'd be willing to bet that, in those organizations where this concept has been adopted and where the initiative did not come from CRM'ers, it's called a social media strategy or something similar.
I'm amused by those who are surprised that it's not widely used outside of that. Perhaps you should spend less time talking to vendors and consultants and more time talking to us customers.-)
My answers
A very cogent post. You are dead on when you write about taking the co-creation track over others. I also like how you salted your post with examples of companies who are engaged in social CRM as opposed to just preaching about the theory. This is a post worth sharing and bookmarking.
I will disagree with you on one point. I don't believe that that social CRM is a tool "that practicaly all use." While a large number of organizations may be using social media, using it as social CRM is a horse of a different color. Just because someone has a Facebook page, doesn't mean they're doing anything with it. Most of them still do not know how to create a community or start a dialogue much less engage in co-creation. I believe that the number of business, government, and nonprofits using social media is still a minority. An even smaller number are using it effectively.
Sure, I've seen the numbers of Facebook users. But I challenge anyone to show me data that says a large number of Facebookers are using it regularly for anything other than posting pictures of their kids or updating us on how their day is going.
But don't let the fact that two of my paragraphs disagree with you and only one agrees. My disagreement is, just as I said, a quibble, and the rest of your post is dead on target.
Regards,
Glenn
"Social CRM" is a term which, I think, was coined by Brent Leary. It's come into wide use in the blogosphere by, primarily consultants and those within organizations charged with CRM responsiblities who participate in online conversations around this topic. It is handy to use in the CRM-verse as nearly everyone who has spent time here knows what it means and because it doesn't require a lot of keystrokes.
We don't call it "social CRM" in my organization, we call it an "interactive and new media strategy" (way too many keystrokes for my way of thinking:-) But that's because, the group working on it represents people from multiple departments and divisions and the title adds clarity.
I'd be willing to bet that, in those organizations where this concept has been adopted and where the initiative did not come from CRM'ers, it's called a social media strategy or something similar.
I'm amused by those who are surprised that it's not widely used outside of that. Perhaps you should spend less time talking to vendors and consultants and more time talking to us customers.-)