CHAPTER 12
Connecting
So what does all this talk of social media, the workforce, and data have to do with being @YourService? Times have already changed for the service world and this book serves as a guide to changing with those times. The formula for winning in the social web is actually easy:
CE × P = SMS
Company Experience (Product + Customer Interactions + Employee Experience) × Passion = Social Media Success (or Failure)
When we observe, review, and analyze discussions about companies, we find that people tend to talk about products that they love. They also tend to talk about products that fill a unique need. Keurig is a great example of a product that fills a unique need. There is a lot of online discussion about Keurig and countless recommendations, both online and through word of mouth. I first heard about it through my wife who had learned about it from a friend. The funny thing is the friend is not even a coffee drinker, but there are times when you need it in your house and she thought it was perfect!
As I mentioned earlier, one of the brands I love to talk about is Apple. As a company, they do not have many company sponsored social media activities, yet their products are discussed frequently. There are websites established by fans just to talk about Apple products. I visit MacRumors.com on a daily basis, as well as MacWorld.com and many more.
Another company that has seen great success in generating social discussion is Coke, but much of that success is not based ...
