Give customers something extra

Community is a buzz word in business today. You can now be a member of an online community and not just a customer. It feels like the business is giving the customer something else.

These platforms allow firms to engage with existing customers and potential customers and make them feel part of a community. Forums and blogs are just some of the goodies that should feature.

This community will become a resource where customers help each other and get help from the supplier. It will also keep the community up to date with the supplier’s own and wider industry developments. All of which will be free.

It is a great way to learn what customers want and become a more trusted contact.

And it is not an expensive project. A consultant contact of mine, who works with banks, told me that it costs little to set up a community. He says it is also low cost and not labour intensive to maintain. Most companies can take advantage of existing social media platforms and do not have to build them from scratch. Dell for instance is using Twitter and Facebook is already being used by corporates to talk to potential recruits.

It is also a good way to answer questions for customers. Rather than being held on the phone listening to Beethoven’s 9th, if you’re lucky, a community can answer your question. Improves customer service and cuts support costs. All this for minimum up front investment.