Customer Service and the Social Web: A Cautionary Tale
I’m actually a nice person. I try to be helpful. I add value and I am often compassionate. I’m also an excellent customer since I network and provide word-of-mouth referrals. Most of the time. Things have been difficult this last week, what with the funeral, getting the 16 year old back to school and catching up with work after having been out of town. The garden is choked with weeds, the house so scary that I had been debating hiring one of those emergency cleaning crews that come in after a major catastrophe. The pressure has been intense. I worked most of ...
Rev Up Your Social Media Engine – Ford’s Scott Monty to Drive Sept. 4 Workshop at WGTE Public Media
Whether you’re already a social media maven or don’t know a poke from a tweet, you’ll be a more effective online spokesperson for your organization after attending this year’s Professional Development Workshop. Scott Monty, global digital and multimedia communications manager for Ford Motor Co., Detroit, is an expert on corporate use of social media who also writes on the topic for The Social Media Marketing Blog at www.scottmonty.com. In his talk, he will review guidelines and lessons that companies of any size can use as they enter the world of social media. Make your reservations now for the Northwest Ohio Chapter’s annual ...
An Unexpected Use of Facebook–Or Is It?
The other night I was immersed in my work when my 17 year old came into the office. One look at his face told me it was an emergency. And it was. He had just learned of the murder of one of his friends.
He was devastated.
What I find disturbing is that he found out about her death from a member of the media who “friended” him on Facebook as a means of getting background information for the story she was putting together.
The facts of the killing are sensational and deeply disturbing so it should come as no surprise that the story was, and is, being covered by the press.
I read articles and blog posts all the time detailing the use of social media and social networking by the press today. It makes sense. What better place to look for story ideas or background information?
But I say that in reference of my own use of social media, which is largely for business. I have no problem being friended by a member of the press–actually encourage that and work to develop such relationships in case I can provide background or offer story ideas. I just never considered that for my child and find myself wondering about it.
I’m not sure the reporter was wrong. But I’m also not sure she was right and it troubles me.
What’s your take on this?
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I agree. This was definitely the wrong way for the reporter to go about getting information. People sometimes forget that there is a real human behind the avatars we see. Then again, this is the press we are talking about and they are not known for caring about our feelings as long as they get their story.
As a father of five children, I see this as an incredible wrong done to your son. At 17 years old, though very grown up in many ways, is still not always prepared for the trespasses of others. I am very sorry he had to find out that way.