Epic Living - Leadership Development Career Management Training Executive Life Coaching Author

How Social Media Can Save Customer Service Training

Was doing some research for a friend/client on customer service training materials this week.  I decided to use Twitter (my top choice for social media portals) as a tool to do some research on the matter.  A simple search on the term "customer service training" is all it took to create a hmmm moment.  And though my research was not very scientific, it did reveal some things I knew instinctively.

First, customer service is a very popular discipline for a number of companies/consultants.  Must mean that bad customer service is more the norm than the exception.  I agree with that on its face.

Second, I don't think the customers (organizations) of the customer service training product are fully aware of what's going on inside their own walls. 

Here's what brought me to the above conclusions:

1. My typed search "customer service training" revealed that for every two consultants offering training, there were an equal number of employees who were referring to customer service training as a boring event, a cure for insomnia, or a pain in the rear.  Again, this wasn't a scientific result, but it seems that many employees are nodding yes, but thinking and feeling no.
2. Employees, especially those in larger entities, feel like their targets for cost cutting and lay-offs.  Creates a jaded, if not callused view of things.  Wonder how these folks treat customers who have legitimate needs/issues?
3. Why the disconnect?  Leadership.  Some managers may think they're leading well, but have yet to look behind them to find no one following.
4. Fixing conclusion #3 creates a bridge for change.
5. Employers are missing out on the power of social media.  See this article for more on that.  But I'm speaking of finding out what's REALLY going on with the employee base.  Might save them some money and go a long way in reinventing how they serve-employees and customers.

What Your Organization Could Learn From the U.S. Air Force

Caught this post from Lois Kelly today and I was shocked. 

I confess that I've never looked at the U.S. Air Force as being that progressive/innovative.  As Lois points out, they seem to understand social media and the impacts.

If the Air Force can do it, can't your organization?

It's All Twitter's Fault

I have been neglecting my normal (widescreen, if you will) blogging because of Twitter.  I guess I've been getting into the micro nature of it more lately. 

Have no fear, more to come here too.

By the way, you can follow me on Twitter under the epicliving name.  My tweets are also listed on this blog as well.

BizJournal Column

I wrote this columnfor BizJournals back in August.  It addresses the opportunity of social networks-inside and outside of the organization.

I hope it inspires!

Friday's Epic Living Hour with Special Guest Ryan Bettencourt of Learn From My Life

 

Join me Friday when Ryan Bettencourt of Learn From My Life will be my special guest on The Epic Living Hour.  Ryan is a gifted thought leader and entrepreneur, who will give us a great conversation around what a life can teach us.

Hope you can tune in.

What A Little Video Can Do

Found this advertisement from Cisco that just struck me.  What threshold do we have before us?  Where do you think we're heading with video and other like tools.

Jump in and give me your thoughts.

Friday's Epic Living Hour with Special Guest Bill Balderaz of Webbed Marketing

Friday's Epic Living Hourwill feature a conversation with Bill Balderaz, Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Webbed Marketing.  Bill will share his insights on social networks and the power behind viral marketing. 

Hope you can tune-in.

Friday's Epic Living Hour with Special Guest Nina Simosko of SAP

Nina Simosko, COO of SAP's global education group, will be my special guest on Friday's Epic Living Hour

We'll discuss trends in leadership and workplace education, as well as some good advice for women seeking to grow their careers.

Hope you can tune in.

The Power of Micro-Blogging

I use Twitter daily (look for me under "Epic Living").  One of the people who follows me asked my thoughts on micro-blogging in the corporate arena.  I wanted give my thoughts around that and why you should embrace it as well.

First, micro-blogging is a cool way of giving your "fans" and idea of what you're doing on a micro level-no pun intended:-).  On Twitter you have 140 words or less to do that.  You can click here to learn what I wrote there this morning.

So what about corporations/businesses using a tool like Twitter?  I think it would be a tremendous tool to communicate and to connect.  Imagine your company provides a piece of hardware for the iPhone.  Your CEO just got back from a conference where he met with Steve Jobs.  Steve told your CEO how pleased Apple was with your company's service levels.  As an employee would you like to see a micro-post like the following?

    "Everyone, just had a conversation with Steve Jobs.  He's amped about our service levels.  More to come."

That kind of communication not only encourages and engages, but gives real-time information.  It's better than email and IM, because in places like Twitter, you are in a community that has a look and feel of community.  And if you haven't already noticed, people crave community.

You might say why not just send an email?  But at the same time someone could have said to Google, why not just stick to search.  Great tools are created when you go into paths not yet worn.  I guess that's why they call it innovation.

Here are some thoughts on how micro-blogging could help an organization:

• Community would/could be built and cemented-with customers and employees.
• Organizations would see engagement rise-significantly.
• Organizations would become more fluid and less rigid.
• Courage would be found, because you'd have to take on HR and Legal.
• Customers would have a compelling story to follow.
• Customers would become more loyal.
• Money follows those who do something engaging.

To Blog or Not to Blog

When I spoke to the OWL group last week, there was some conversation around corporate blogging.  The substance of those conversations were mainly around the lack of understanding about blogging-specific to organizations taking the leap . 

In my speech I referenced a study from Forrester Research that I found on Lois Kelley's blog.  You can look at her post here.  The study brought to light what's wrong with corporate blogs.  Namely, they're bad.

Here's what I think is wrong with many corporate blogs, and how to make them better:

1. The sites are too institutionalized.  It's as if risk is the black plague.  If HR (for an internal blog), Communications, and Legal are hovering at every turn, you probably are just writing press releases.  Which, as we know, kills conversation.  My recommendationis to embrace risk and change the world.  Stop playing it safe.  And by the way, your organization will make more money too.
2. Many corporations are afraid of community.  A consistent refrain in my conversations last week with the OWL folks revealed organizations being fearful of negative comments from employees or customers.  My recommendation is to remember that your organization is already being talked about, so why not be in front of the conversation vs. behind it?  Employees and customers might be inspired by an action like this.
3. Organizations just want to be hip.  Someone at a conference told the CEO to get into social media, and an edict was formed.  It made for good talking points, but lacked commitment and desire.  My recommendationis to not start something you don't really want to do.  Stakeholders get real suspicious of fashion.
4. The wrong person is doing the writing.  Without guidance on the why and how, a blog can be a very stale affair.  My recommendation is to consult with us and take a look at this post from Nina Simosko on communication.  She gives a wonderful example of effective writing in a blog.
5. No passion.  I've been asked by more than a few people about where I find things to write about.  It's an easy answer to give; I'm very passionate about what I write about.  Therefore, it runs through me like a raging river.  Shouldn't every organization have a similar state of mind and heart?  My recommendation is to check the pulse, go back (if needed) to where you started, and then reignite the passion.