This is an overview of a panel we’re having as part of meshmarketing on November 17th:
One of the most powerful things about social media is that it is like word-of-mouth multiplied by a thousand. That makes it difficult for companies, because it can allow criticism and negative attention to spread much more quickly — but at the same time, it can be an incredibly powerful tool for customer service, and those positive stories can spread just as quickly. One of the best examples of this is Zappos, the shoe-maker that was recently acquired by Amazon and has become synonymous with how to use the web for positive customer service.
How is social media changing the way that companies deal with customers? How is the quality of the experience evolving, and what are some of the things companies need to consider when trying to provide personalized service in a digital world? Thomas Knoll, community architect for Zappos, is going to explore some of the key lessons that he has learned, and advice about the tools that can help companies understand their customers and meet their needs, and the ROI of using social media to provide customer service.
While Thomas has a technical background, he prefers to speak in gardening and architecture metaphors, and says he is inspired by psychology, evangelism, architectural theory, social economics, game mechanics, cultural anthropology, and dolphins.
