Talking Social Business with Airlines in Prague with a new Social Study for Airlines
The GLOBAL AIrline Summit.
On September 9, I’ll be talking with senior airline executives from around the world at the IBM Airline Summit in Prague, Czech Republic. The theme of the summit is “Smarter travelers expect smarter airlines: Delivering an exceptional customer experience while optimizing operations.”
Today’s travelers really do expect more from airlines than ever before. Yes, we expect smooth operations, a pleasant flight and good value.
But more and more we expect personalized customer service while we are shopping for a trip and during each step of the journey, delivered consistently through all the devices we use.
The NEW Socially Connected Airlines.
Today, meeting those expectations depends on using the latest social business tools to help the airline workforce keep the planes on schedule and to create exceptional customer experiences.
I recently read a related article in Business Travel News that might interest you by Paul Campion, an IBM colleague in the UK.
The SUMMIT. A Breakthrough Event!
At the summit, airline executives will share their own experiences and hear speakers from other airlines, industry analysts, a leading international airport, Coca-Cola marketing, Netflix, and from IBM.
We’ll be launching some exciting new social business research sponsored by IBM with PhoCusWright - “Social media in travel: mayhem, myths, mobile and money.” The study will provide clear quantitative insights around what travel companies need to manage, mobilize, and monetize their social strategy.
Of course, the Summit won’t be all work and no play. I hear that we’ll take a tram ride and walking tour through Prague’s beautiful old town. Then we’ll share a meal in one of the city’s great restaurants. I’m looking forward to it. Watch this space for my blog post after the event.
TGIF - Generation C: Connected and in control
The level of connectedness today is unprecedented
And, with that connectedness comes power.
This is Generation C: Connected and in control!!!
Here is how today’s customer behaves.
We know this – we all behave like this. We interact with many different channels and devices in order to make decisions and interact with the companies that we do business with.
And when we interact through all of these different channels, we expect that the business is thinking about experience – not just in a single channel at a point in time but holistically as we interact across the channels to complete whatever it is we are trying to do. We EXPECT that a site will be relevant if we get to the site from a banner ad or search term. We EXPECT that the profile we set up online is the same profile for the mobile application. And, we get a little annoyed when we have to repeat all of our information to the customer service representative after already entering it all through the phone keypad.
However, the reality is that, most companies are extremely siloed. They often have different technology and data that is driving the customer experience. But, even worse, they often have entirely different objectives and are measured in inconsistent, or even competitive, ways.
In four years between 2008 and 2012, the percentage of brands that were rated as having “excellent” customer experience plummeted from 11 to 3 percent.
Being able to use social and omni channel is the solution! More on this next week!!!
Social Lessons from the beach: A little bikini is no match for a big wave!
Yes, both of my daughters love their bikinis on the beach! But as we went wave riding, they learned quickly that that little bikini is no match for the big wave!
The same is true in social! Sometimes the wave is too big for just company spokespeople and with 70% of online consumers trust peer recommendations #1, you will need more than just the "bikini" squad. You need a brand advocate.
A brand advocate is a person who is passionate about your brand and references you as a matter of course. They could be an influencer or a client or an employee. Determining your brand advocates is about listening and selecting based on common interests, knowledge, and other key elements critical for your business.
In addition to seeking out your advocates, it is important to determine your best friends, or your tippers. These are those people who influence your brand online and those whom others listen to about your products.
These key influencers have a set of characteristics. Typically, they are people who have strong relationships, and are an expert or authority in a subject. Sometimes influencers are those who get attention, taking an atypical view, or are just loud. I was recently at a virtual conference and heard a speaker talk about an influencer as someone who is honest, trustworthy, and knowledgeable. They have a consistent opinion that is objective and not influenced by someone paying them! These items drive a level of social trust and that trust persuades another person to take action.
Finally, developing social trust is about showcasing care and value. Listen and change where needed. Always be honest, and demonstrate value-add to your clients and the industry.
These are the top elements of your plan to build your brand advocates:
[lb] Determination of your friends or brand advocates today: A friend is a client, a potential client, or an influencer who recommends your brand, company, or product because they like it so much, they feel compelled to discuss it. Determining those who are your friends or brand advocates is important to your overall social trust plan.
[lb] Determination of your “best friends” or tippers: These are people who influence the rest of the clients and potential clients online and offline, usually about 5% to 10% of your product’s or category’s population. These tippers are important people for your overall strategy and your company will pay extra attention to them.
[lb] Brand advocacy strategy: A brand advocacy strategy is a plan to determine those actions your company can take to build brand advocates, or people who are passionate about your brand and reference you as a normal course of business. Part of this strategy could be in the content that you share, your shared vision of a point of view in the market, or even support of a common cause that is outside the primary goal of making profit[md]for example, making the planet a better place.
[lb] Content activation plan: This is a plan to create content, distribute content, promote content, and measure its success. This content activation plan is usually determined in the Social Business Digital Council. The goal of the content is to showcase your company’s subject matter expertise or point of view (POV). It is critical when starting a community, and for guarding your reputation.
[lb] Determination of key methods to establish social trust in your space: Based on your company’s goals, a trust plan is formed to create and protect trust through online experiences and dialogues with a company, product, or brand.
With this brand army, you can ride the wave with confidence!!!
Lessons from Vacation: Stop whatever you are doing to watch the sunset!
Here is the sunset I saw on my vacation. Stop what you are doing!
The same is true in Social! If your company is using social without a social governance policy -- stop whatever you are doing and create one!
The Social Business guidelines for your company should be based on your values. Consider following best practices from my book Get Bold.
1. Guidelines should be written by your employees in a social group setting. Those guidelines developed in a participatory fashion will last.
2. Guidelines should state why the guidelines exist; for example, to innovate in a responsible way.
3. Guidelines should be short and to the point.
4. Guidelines should state your position on open dialogue what’s fair game and what’s not (confidential information).
5. Guidelines should state consequences.
6. Guidelines should encourage transparency.
7. Guidelines should state privacy and rights of your company’s partners and clients.
8. Guidelines should guide in adding value and learning from mistakes.
9. Guidelines should discuss time spent in social media.
10. Guidelines should encourage your company’s goals in social techniques.
On http://socialmediagovernance.com/policies.php you can find a collection of company social guidelines. Read through them and define your guidelines in sync with your culture and goals. For example, in sync with its corporate culture, Zappos’s Social Media Policy is “be real and use your best judgment.” This Social Policy showcases Zappos’s trust in their employees! Intel’s Social Media Guidelines have a few best practices as well. Examples include “be transparent” and “if it gives you pause, pause.” I also love their advice that “perception is reality and it’s a conversation.” I think the key is defining these with a collaborative group of digital citizens throughout your company.
For large global organizations, corporate culture sometimes needs to make way for local culture. For example, at IBM we have a very open-minded culture supported by our senior leadership team. We have sponsorship from the very top of IBM supporting our movement into end-user-generated content to become a Social Business. However, we do understand that there are also cultural differences across the globe. As such, we make sure to understand these cultural differences and embrace them. With IBM operating in more than 170 countries, our team reviews privacy acts around the globe to ensure that we keep the interest of the employees at the center of focus.
Now, find a sunset and ensure your company has a policy!
Social Trend #3: Innovation is accelerated in Culture through ideation & predictive
Happy Monday! Social Business Trends are shaking the world and today's Social Coffee Break is about our third trend.
Innovation must be part of a corporation's culture. Things are moving so fast those who can change and adapt will be most competitive. In today's Social world, innovation is accelerated through social. See how ideation (crowdsourcing) and predictive capability (analytics) accelerate innovation in corporations!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJnafM6HnlA&feature=youtu.be]
Skills gaps are creating huge challenges in Social, Mobile,
The IBM Tech Trends report is based on a survey of more than 1,200 professionals who make technology decisions for their organizations (22 percent IT managers, 53 percent IT practitioners, and 25 percent business professionals). Our respondents come from 16 different industries and 13 countries, spanning both major and growth markets.
I was surprised that mobile is the largest gap, followed by Cloud. While there is a gap in Social, of the Big 4, it is the best one.
Thoughts? Any surprises to you?!
You are never too old to boogie board -- or to social network!
In my summer vacation series, here's my next lesson from the beach!
I got to use my boogie board to surf the waves and the wave pool! What I learned is that you are never too old to boogie!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roQxFb0B9Pw]
Just like you are never too old or too high in a company to use social networking. The fastest growing group on Facebook are those over the age of 55! Did you know that 32% of top CEOs have at least one account on a social network! The % of CIOs who say that social is important to their business has more than doubled in the last year per the MIT Sloan Management Review.
What are you waiting for? Catch the wave and boogie!
You can't feed just one seagull (a series on Social and Vacation!)
This past week I was at the beach -- with a very relaxing time in the sun. The whole time I was there I saw social in so many different ways.
Once when my daughters tried to feed one seagull , they ended up with a whole flock. You can't just feed one ! Or can you?
In Social, you should respond to comments in a way that showcases that your brand really cares and engages around client concerns. Responding is an important part of interacting and engaging with your audience, while also humanizing your brand, improving brand loyalty and creating brand ambassadors.
But you don't have to respond to all negative comments. Have a well thought out plan and know what "level" of comment that you want to respond too. In some cases, have other clients speak on your behalf. Unlike at the beach, you don't have to feed all the seagulls.
Talking social zombies and bootcamps at SXSW 2014
Wondering what are key trends you need to know when building your social plan? Come find out in these fun/interactive sessions proposed for SXSW 2014!
First, you need to remember that social is a global phenomenon. You can engage with folks in Nairobi, New York or Naples. But... we all have cultural differences, and if you fail to take these into account you run the risk of becoming a social zombie:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AETBzICyHtE]
Vote now for this session! [http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/23204]
Second, unleash the vast power of social by tying it to those other big trends in technology right now: big data and analytics. Apply social across all your business processes, create an environment of expertise and trust, and develop a corporate culture that embraces collaboration:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aduweZCX1A4]
Vote now for this bootcamp! http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/23035
Will I see you at SXSW 2014? If so, reach out and let's chat further!
Thank God it's Monday! Social Business Trend 2
Everyone always celebrates Friday so I thought today we'd celebrate Monday with a great Social Business coffee Break.
Today we are focused on the 2nd core trend in Socialytics: Marketing not just to a demographic but to the power of 1. (Reminder; trend 1 was the power of information sharing and that driving a need socially to recognize expertise and trust!)
As always tell me what you think!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP4ebWmGHos&feature=youtu.be]