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The next evolution of social media for business is…

Two weeks from today I’ll be at Dell’s world headquarters in Round Rock, Texas. (Disclosure: Dell is a client) Part of the reason why I’ll be there will be to moderate and help facilitate an event called CAP Days.  CAP stands for Customer Advisory Panel, and on the 15th and 17th, Dell will be bringing in 30 of its most passionate customers, 15 of them on the 15th, and another 15 of them on the 17th.  These are customers that are actively engaged in social media, whether it’s as bloggers, or on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, or other sites.  On both days, Dell will be meeting with these customers during sessions that will run throughout the day in an effort to get to know them, and learn more about their opinions of Dell.

Here’s the twist that makes this event so interesting to me; The 15 customers Dell will meet on the 15th are customers that have issues with Dell, and want to voice those issues to the company.  The 15 customers Dell will meet on the 17th are evangelists of the company.  So over the course of 2 days, Dell will be meeting with 30 of its most passionate customers, from both ends of the spectrum.  I think this event is also an example of the next evolution of social media for companies.

Connecting with customers to improve both product and marketing development.

If you think about it, this is a natural progression of social media usage for a company.  They might start out blogging, maybe using Facebook, primarily as tools to ‘get their message out’.  But along the way, they begin to interact with customers, and see the value in those interactions.  Then maybe they’ll start using Twitter and encourage their employees to as well.  Maybe more of their employees will start blogging, or individual departments/areas of the business will.

Eventually, and simply as a byproduct of being comfortable using these tools to interact with customers, the company will want to reach out directly to their customers in an effort to better understand them.  This is where I think the ‘magic’ starts to happen, because when the company starts making a sincere effort to connect with the customer via social media, they get a much better understanding of where the customer is coming from.  And vice versa, the customer begins to better understand the company, which means both sides lower their ‘guard’ a bit, and more open communication is the result.  The customers begin to see their actual fingerprints on the company’s marketing and communication efforts, which will make them far more effective.

I think this is a natural progression of how you’ll see companies, especially big companies such as Dell, using social media.  I also think if a company can reach this point in their social media usage, that they’ll have reached the point where they can see huge improvements to their product development, and marketing efficiencies.  Simply connecting with customers and communicating to them that you WANT to connect with them, will go a long way toward lowering the communication barriers between both groups.

So I’m pretty excited to be involved in CAP Days, and hope to see more examples in the coming months of companies trying to use social media to establish deeper connections with their customers.  BTW if you will be in the Austin area next month, Dell will be having a tweetup/meetup on the 16th.  I’ll be there, as will several members of Dell’s team that are putting CAP Days on, and hopefully some of the CAP Days participants as well.  I don’t believe the location and time have been nailed down, so make sure you are following Richard, Lionel and Vance on Twitter to get the latest updates!  Hope to see you there!

Pic via Flickr user Lance Shields

About Mack Collier

My name is Mack Collier and I am a digital marketing and content strategist located in Alabama. Since 2006 I've helped companies of all sizes from startups to global brands such as Adobe, Dell and Ingersoll-Rand, create customer-centric programs, content and experiences. A long-time internet geek, I've been online since 1988 and began using social networking sites in 1991 when I joined Prodigy. Today, I help companies understand how new technologies like web3, crypto and artificial intelligence can integrate with existing marketing strategies to lead to exceptional customer experiences.

Comments

  1. Stefano Maggi says

    This is very interesting. It surely is a step towards “openness”: it won’t be easy and fast to leverage on suggestions by consumers at such a large company, but activating a real dialogue is a first and fundamental step.

    A very practical (and egoistical, given where I come from) question: how are local market involved in such dialogue strategy? Is it a pilot US project that will be extended? Dell could move a lot of advocates and passionate consumer on a local basis, too (I’m thinking about Italy right now) and their feedback could help improving a lot, IMO.
    .-= Stefano Maggi´s last blog ..Your self-promotion is very important for us [Sincerely, your network] =-.

    • Vance Morton says

      Stefano,
      Greetings, this is the Vance that Mack referenced in his “brilliantly written post above (full disclosure – NO MONEY has or will exchange hands for that complimentary statement – I’m just a fan). I’m taking a break in our CAP Day preperations to check in on the discussion on this topic – one that is near and dear to my heart.

      I like your use of the word “interesting.” Being a parent, I use the word interesting in many of its iterations when discussing my daughter’s latest ideas.  As such, I’m just going to trust that you mean that our CAP Day events have the possibility to provide interesting content and action – because that’s our hope going in. And you are 100% correct, it will not be easy to leverage the learnings and suggestions culled from these two days of meetings – but I think you’ll see us, at a minimum, making strides rather quickly towards achieving those goals we all agree is best for our customers and team members.

      As far as the global nature of CAP Days is concerned, yes, this is a U.S.-only event at the moment. However, if we are even mildly successful in achieving the level of cooperation, dialogue and community that I think we will (you’ll get to know that I think very big and very positively), then we’ll be taking this idea to our customers on a global basis, or, as you perfectly stated it, on a local level – local to our customers wherever they may be.

      Thanks for the comment and the good vibes.
      .-= Vance Morton´s last blog ..jvmatdell: RT @caitlinmoran: Bad people tried to hurt Paul. I say we retaliate. You hurt a Beatle, we kidnap Dora The Explorer: http://is.gd/cykB1 =-.

  2. Heather Villa says

    It is refreshing to see some of the HUGE corporations really listen to the customer. A lot of them say they do, but don’t really prove it or show it. This is something that will truly set DELL aside from it’s competition. How else can you really give your customers what they want?

    To your second point – helping the customer understand the company. This is another milestone. By allowing the customer to actually see the faces of the people of the company it creates an emotional connection; it provides a sense of comfort knowing who you are being supported by.

    Not only does DELL set a standard with the way they market their items (monthly payments vs total cost) they now set a standard of really creating a connection and a bond with their customer’s!
    .-= Heather Villa´s last blog ..How to Take Your Business to the Next Level =-.

  3. Mandy Vavrinak says

    What I like about what Dell is doing is the willingness to risk the wrath. I know they have to start with a group of people to hear, and those engaged (and presumably vocal!) about their Dell challenges makes sense. Always the danger of “focus group focal length” syndrome, though. Small group of vocal customers may not equal overall business challenges?
    But what a great PR & marketing effort 😉
    .-= Mandy Vavrinak´s last blog ..Cautious Optimism Reigns at RECon =-.

    • Mack Collier says

      Mandy I think with anything like this, you start small, and expand as you learn and as resources allow. But you know that, I think the real potential would come from having multiple systems in place like this for each product line, or area of the business. That would also mean better and more constructive feedback from customers of just that brand/product. I would guess this is a goal for this plan.

    • Vance Morton says

      Mandy,
      Risking the wrath is not only wonderful alliteration, it is also something we thought long and hard about and concluded that it’s a wee price to pay to reconnect with folks who at one time or another thought enough of us to become our customers.
      Your point about “focus group focal length” is well taken. As Mack stated in his comment, this is just the very small start of a hopefully ongoing and expanding program. But please note, this is just one of the myriad ways that we are listening to our customers. Also, it is our hope to not only be able to hear from those making the trek to the 512 and Round Rock, TX, but also the communities in which our CAPanions are active.
      Thanks for the comments
      Vance Morton – Dell Global Content and Programs & Social Media Evangelist
      .-= Vance Morton´s last blog ..jvmatdell: RT @caitlinmoran: Bad people tried to hurt Paul. I say we retaliate. You hurt a Beatle, we kidnap Dora The Explorer: http://is.gd/cykB1 =-.

    • Mack Collier says

      LOL! Mark you are right, I didn’t even realize it was from Second Life! Yes I definitely want a Second Life demo, maybe Laura can give me one!

  6. Kevin Cole says

    …and as interesting as Dell bringing in the two presumably opposite sides to sound off, I’d also love to see another group of 15 (don’t ask me where you’d get ’em) who have bought Dell but really don’t care about the company to see if you could figure out what would excite them but that isn’t happening to do so. A customer version of, “the opposite of love isn’t hate…it’s apathy” cliche.
    .-= Kevin Cole´s last blog ..Thank you, Spokane MarCom Association! =-.

  7. Nathan Young says

    I am overjoyed that I get to go to this. It’s clear that I fit into the “evangelist” category of this event. It’s hard not to be just all out excited that I get to go. I’ve always appreciated Dell’s products and now get to voice why I do rather than just sounding like a phony fanboy of the company. I’ve had some bumps in an experience or two, and it’s exciting to me that get a chance to brag on the people on Dell’s team who helped me out of those situations and let people know that “THIS is why I buy Dell”.
    .-= Nathan Young´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at =-.

  8. Robyn from Sam's Web Guide says

    This definitely shows the evolution of social media being used as a business tool for connecting and gaining further trust from customers.

    I would love to see some of these activities being extended globally where specific twitter accounts focus particularly on different territories. For example, you could have @delljm for Jamaica, which is where I am from. I also see lots of big brands with millions of followers. So, my thought is: “How will they respond effectively to all customer tweets?” In this scenario it seems impossible. What are your thoughts on that?
    .-= Robyn from Sam’s Web Guide´s last blog ..The Ultimate Guide To Guest Blogging – Massive Techniques for Achieving Success =-.

  9. Susan Payton says

    I’m on the 17th CAP, so see you there. What’s interesting about my case is I actually had an issue with Dell, but I gave them the opportunity to solve it publicly on Twitter and they came brilliantly. So I’ve moved to the evangelist team!
    .-= Susan Payton´s last blog ..The Ebbs and Flows of a Business =-.

  10. Allen Mireles says

    Mack, now that the dust from travel is starting to settle, just wanted to stop by and commend you for having done an excellent job as moderator for the first Dell CAP day. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and left feeling hopeful about Dell’s plans for the future.

    I was impressed with the quality of the conversations (for the most part), the passion and genuine caring evidenced by the Dell participants and the the programs and innovations currently in the works.

    I was also pleased to note the how quickly the session turned into brainstorming and idea sharing as opposed to endless recitation of the wrongs suffered by the panel members.

    And then, as I have already said at least once (but knowing me no fewer than four or five times) it was just absolutely wonderful to meet you face to face. You are just as I have come to know you through your blog posts and twitter updates–genuine, friendly and smart as a whip! 😉

    Kudos to you for your part in a very successful event.
    .-= Allen Mireles´s last blog ..So Dell Didn’t Need Kevlar Vests After All: Thoughts On The First CAP Day =-.

    • mack collier says

      Thank you Allen! It was wonderful to meet you! I was impressed by two things: First, that you and the other participants of the 1st day of #dellcap generally had an ‘I have had problems with Dell, but I want to see them succeed’ approach. And second, that the Dell participants in general did a good job of actually listening to the participants, and not engaging in ‘corporate speak’.

      I think both groups came to the event with an honest desire to see the company improve, and move forward. Allen, you and the other #dellcap participants, deserve a lot of credit for that!
      .-= mack collier´s last blog ..Does your company need a social media evangelist? Why not hire a customer? =-.

  11. kelly says

    I am thrilled with the use of social media in the workplace. I have been following the debate closely. The balance of productivity and working like employees live is a tricky one with social media. Blog, blog, blog or block, block, block??? I thought this whitepaper had some real teeth – http://bit.ly/d2NZRp

  12. Omar Alam says

    It’s nice to see Dell truly creating transparency with their most passionate customers, and also listening to them. The good and the bad.

    Any and all forms of data from customers are like gold for a business seeking to evolve their operations and also improve. Like you mentioned above, it can and should be done for every department and area. One area I still see not mentioned are even done enough with social media is the involvement of the c-level execs. A good amount of the filtering and customer interaction will be done by other internal teams, though the execs could benefit by having their own ear close to the opinions and pulse of their customers.

    While it’s not expected that Michael Dell will be on his FB, Twitter, and FourSqare all the time, though it would also be refreshing to see a CEO/Founder/Visionary in the middle of the action with the “people”.

    Nice article Mack!