Embracing the groundswell!

Asking your customers for ideas

Above all, I want to welcome you to my blog! 

This week I going to discuss about  ways to tapping into any company's customers, about idea  exchange with them; to increase the chances of developing something customers want.

My reading reflection deals with Chapter 9: Embracing the Groundswell of the great book, Groundswell by Li and Bernoff.

Product growth is really hard work for organization! Why not let customers help to market research department with it?

Company  development, based on the customers' opinion, is such a good thing that I have ever heard.

 "...when it comes to collaborating with your customers – really bringing them into your development and innovation processes – one real truth is this: it's challenging". (p.182).

This is really truth, because most companies are typically not setup to listen to this feedback and work with customers in this way, they have developed everything internally.
The other side of the coin is, however, that if you  have embraced the Groundswell, then you have opened a channel of communications with your customers and they are now getting deeper into your company. Besides, embracing the Groundswell is defined as making customers an integral part of the way you innovate, with both products and process improvements.

Customers don’t take long to tell you what they want – as soon as you are ready, you can quickly tap into these sources of innovation. Once you tap into customer feedback, you can continue to ask more questions to continue to refine products.

"If I were a banker, I would give my customers a say in things, and together we would build the bank of tomorrow". From there, there are two main choices - enter a suggestion, or see other people's suggestions. (p.188). 

In 2007, Credit Mutuel its ad campaign. Viewers were directed to a sijetaisbanquier.com site (what means ''If I were a banker"). Once a week bank selected one person who made a suggestion. 

Actually, businesses from all sectors posted much improved results as sluggish domestic activity was offset by new sources of growth, notably in emerging countries, in which context the group’s major accounts were able to use its international network to respond to their customers’ needs.

Doubtless, through points of sale, the internet, mobile banking and social media, the group is building closer ties to members and customers with seamless communication through all channels, both physical and remote. It is now developing a multichannel and omnichannel (several media and uninterrupted contact in every channel) relationship with customers, which is more human, responsive and helpful.
Two of Crédit Mutuel’s founding principles are putting people first and promoting mutual aid. Its commitment to research and public health are integral to its sense of responsibility.

The Groundswell effect is that customers are chomping at the bit to tell you what to do and are actively complaining and praising your product on forums such as blogs, videos and review sites. They are now part of your process because they can look over management’s shoulders via these channels.
Banks must choose between three approaches of rising risk sensitivity subject to the authorisation and under the control of their national supervisory bodies: standardised approach, foundation internal ratingsbased approach, and advanced internal ratings-based approach. Each banking institution is required to adopt the approach best suited to the stage of development of its activities and to its organisation.

Social Media in the Tech World

The role of SMM in the laptop choice and selection

It is not a secret that often people prefer to make decisions based on the others' opinion. How do you think so high interconnected the efficiency of the social marketing media and consumer behavior? Right, it is highly tied.

Let's consider on the computer industry. When you want to buy a new

gadget you do some target

research, observation, based on the results of which you make your final choice. 

Today, the possibility of laptops reached the point of technical equipment of personal computers. Each laptop - its own set of advantages.
Choosing a laptop computer, you need to take into account the features of the memory card and processor, almost you need to know as well as exactly how will you plan to use the laptop.

 However, even identify with the necessary parameters for your future laptop, you'll still be wondering: "Which manufacturer to prefer." 

  A large number of firm producing them offer to buyers a wide variety of different ways to accelerate their choice.

And now, it is time to learn what specific activities company conduct in social media and how it uses  specific channels and what for?

In order to make easier buyer's choice I give brief overview of the lead computer brands.

What is behind Samsung’s social media success?

What is the main goal of Samsung’s presence in social media? Are they more focused on increasing engagement or rather growing traffic? 

Samsung is focused on growing reach and engagement by creating high quality local or localized content. As a company that needs to sell a lot, Samsung also helping to sell products via social media. 

However, what’s even more important is to be accepted by the community and be an active & helpful part of the community.

Company trying the best to be as human as possible in the corporate world; it working on credibility, regularity and cohesion in it's communication efforts. One amazing case study can bring you fame, but it won’t change much in brand perception.

What is about usage of specific activities and of the specific channels?

Samsung use different channels, different goals and usage. Social media architecture no longer evolves around Facebook. It’s still a dominant social media platform but more like an amplifier, reach and awareness creating platform, than a center hub. It is perfect for product launches, supporting existing campaigns, and news and information spreading.

Twitter and Instagram are highly mobile, more specialized and direct platforms. They are using them as engaging platforms, for daily & direct communication, lifestyle communication, identifying influencers (with a use of social media monitoring), real-time communication,  and supporting existing campaigns. 

Youtube, as a second-largest Internet search engine is a search-enhanced platform, though Samsung thinking about expanding the role of their channel.

Anti-social Apple

Quite the contrary Apple Inc use social media.

It is amazing, but this is really truth! Apple is not only abstaining from a major marketing opportunity, but turning its back on an increasingly vital channel for customer feedback and support. 

The company’s philosophy toward customer input was probably best summed up by Steve Jobs himself. In 1998, he told Business Week: “A lot of times, people don’t know what they want until you show it to them.”

It’s hard to argue with a business that has revolutionized multiple industries with a string of category-defining products, but Apple’s indifference to social media is puzzling.

By the way 

As you can see how the two big competitors, producing computers use quite different way to attract target audience. 

According to my brief overview I can say that buyer's choice not always depends on efficiency of social media, but this is more exception than rule.

Anyone who’s ever used an Apple product or stepped inside an Apple store can tell you how the company earned those fans. Apple knows its customers. It’s a loyal, passionate one-to-one relationship the company has invested decades and billions in cultivating. And who needs community when you’ve got a relationship like that, right?

Through innovative technology and aesthetic design, Apple Inc. has established a unique reputation comparable to the cult in the consumer electronics industry.

To sum up, the majority of buyers need to customer feedback and support to feel themselves in safe. So that is why, people search some responses about products before they will buy.