Gaining Insights & Creating Experiences through Social Media

From what we have learned in class, gaining insights to a group of people is a very important step before creating a product or service. You need to know how this group of people thinks, what are their likes and dislikes, and what problems they want answered. Social media is a great way to obtain this important information. I believe many types of social media can help, but blogs and social networks are the most beneficial. Depending on the specific group, certain social medias are more helpful than others. To gain insights into older generations, one would assume social media would not very helpful. As the book says, though, older generations are involved in social media. Gaining insights through social media probably isn’t the best for this group though; it should only be a small part of the gaining insights process.

Social media can also help create experiences for customers. Many companies are using social media to market their products. As I will explain, I believe social media can also be used as a customer service tool.

Blogs (video, audio, or written):
People who write blogs tend to give a lot of insight into their emotions and feelings towards various things. Other people can comment on these blogs either agreeing or disagreeing with the writer.  For example, a can blogger write about how stupid a certain song is. Looking at the comments under the blog can provide extra information as to how many people feel the same way or feel differently. Generalizations can be made by the blog and comments, and a marketer can use this insight to develop problem statements.

I think marketers can also use blogs to create experiences. They don’t necessarily need to be the ones writing blogs, but they can comment on existing blogs. If a blog writes negatively about your company, you can address these issues with the person in the blog. You have the potential to change someone’s perception of your company or product by conversing with them through these blogs. When this person realizes that you, as a marketer, are passionate about your company and defend it, he will be more likely to see it in a different light. This can also be done when a person writes a positive blog. Thanking them for their comments can further their interest in your product and/or company.

Social Networks:
Social networks are a way for people to keep in touch with friends. They can see what their friends are up to and post what they are up to as well. This type of social media is widely used and many people spend a lot of time on them. It may not be beneficial though, unless you are friends with many of the people you are trying to learn more about. It is also helpful if these people are open and honest about their feelings on these sites. Some people are more private than others. Similar to blogs, you can observe people’s thoughts, feelings, and what they are doing on a daily basis. The information on social networks may not be as in-depth as blogs; blogs allow more room for detail. On social networks, though, there is a wider range of people involved. These are great for more broad insights of a group of people.

There are many specific networks for certain types of people, for example, young singles in Austin and people who have certain diseases. If you’re goal is to gain insight into one of these groups, social networks are a great tool.

Similar to blogs, a marketer can engage in conversation with a person who has posted about them or their company. Additionally, though, social networks are a great way to market products. Many people visit social networks daily and marketing on these sites can create a lot of business. Furthermore, interesting and funny youtube videos, news, coupons/deals spread like wildfire on these sites. In my opinion, these outlets are much more helpful than the radio or television especially for the younger generation.

There are many of social medias that can be used to gain insights and create experiences, but I believe these can offer the most information. Many more people are involved in social media, and it is becoming much easier to obtain information through these outlets.

WalMart

I have always thought Walmart acts as a big bully, and this article proves my point. They gather all the information they can get their hands on even though they don’t use all of it. They don’t share much of this information with their suppliers and this makes an unhealthy relationship between walmart and suppliers.

 How do you feel about the privacy issue?

According to the article, “the Internet has less than half as much data” as Walmart does. What on earth do they need this much data for? Furthermore, they store the date for indefinite lengths of time. They have people’s mortgage amounts, court dates, driving records, email address, etc. This isn’t information they need for their business, nor is it necessary to keep this information forever. They claim all of this information is safe, but how can we be sure? Walmart employees have access to everything about us! It makes me feel extremely uncomfortable knowing this. If Walmart was actually using this information to help their business, I may be a little more at ease, but it specifically states in the article they have never tried to squeeze the data and it is not necessary. I’m definitely going to pay in cash more often rather than with a credit or debit card.

Was Walmart successful at converting data into competitive advantage?

Walmart is able to make some productive changes with the data they have. They are able to predict which products will be needed after certain situation and what time of the day more cashiers are needed. They can also gauge how business will be in a new store and what products are usually purchased together.   I’m sure they make many more decisions based on the data that are not included in the article.

Then again, Walmart has more than double the amount of data as the Internet! You would think their stores would be much more organized because of this. In no way is shopping at Walmart a high priority for me. There usually aren’t enough cashiers or people willing to help you find things, and the store tends to be a mess all around. I’ve never walked into Walmart and thought “this was a great idea on Walmart’s part.” Maybe I don’t pay close enough attention, but I don’t see great changes being made.

 As stated in class, some products are constantly changing showing they are not able to figure out what customers really want or they just don’t care. No matter how unorganized the store is, there will still be customers because Walmart generally has the lowest prices. Because of this, it makes sense that they are only concerned with their profit margins and not what customers want.

Is the technology helping or hurting suppliers?

I have a strong believe that Walmart is hurting their suppliers in more way than one. They force deals that are disadvantageous for suppliers. They have so much information that can potentially help suppliers be more profitable and make informed decisions about what products and the amounts to sell to Walmart. The article states Walmart shares some information with suppliers but for the most part it hoards its information obsessively. Suppliers openly say they don’t want to deal with Walmart, but they have no choice. Like I said before, customers will keep shopping at Walmart and Walmart will continue to take advantage of this and be a big bully.

Loving my TOMS!

I’ve been hearing about TOMS shoes for a while now.  I was never very interested in buying a pair though.  I love the idea of the company donating one for one, but they aren’t exactly what I would call fashionable.  I also figure I can donate money on my own, and I don’t need to do it through buying a pair of shoes.  Despite all of this, my mom bought my brother and I TOMS shoes last Christmas.  They were the typical, plain black ones.  I didn’t care for them much at the time, and they sat in my closet unused for about a year.  This winter, I was in desperate need of closed-toe shoes so I gave them a try and boy was I pleasantly surprised.  They are so comfortable!! Why had I waited so long to try them on? Why in the world wasn’t I told in the past few years how comfortable they were?  On the website, the “one for one” movement, but their comfort is not advertized at all.  If I had known, I would have used the pair much earlier. 

Now I see these shoes in a whole new light.  I notice many people wearing them on campus, and I appreciate seeing them.  They have recently come out with new and fun prints, which I think will help with more sales.  They have become a fashion statement, but instead of saying, “I love fashion”, they say, “I love helping others.” This Christmas my grandmother asked me what I wanted.  I thought TOMS would be a perfect gift.  Sometimes people want to buy you something even when you insist it is not necessary.  Receiving a pair of TOMS, as a gift, is the best of both worlds: you receive new shoes and so does someone in need!  I also bought a pair for a friend of mine.  :) 

TOMS have become very popular.  My question is what has lead to this success? Like Coke, is the story behind the brand the main factor? OR is it  the look or comfort of the shoe? What types of people buy TOMS? Is there anything that could have made the business even more successful? What price would have been too high?

What other products will this idea work for?  Does the item have to be something that is publicly seen? For example, would consumers pay an inflated amount for furniture or kitchen appliances that only a few people would notice? Or are consumers drawn to the fact that people will know they own the item? When I see someone walking around in TOMS, I definitely have a good impression of them, and I know people feel the same about me when they see me in TOMS.  Does this play a part into why consumers buy them?

It is my understanding that using a different business plan probably wouldn’t have worked as well. For example, if people were given the choice to buy a pair of TOMS for $35 (another pair would not be donated) or buy a pair for $50 and another pair would be donated, I believe people would not spend the extra money. The fact that they are not given a choice makes this successful. Other people wouldn’t know whether a consumer bought the TOMS for $30 or paid extra to donate another pair.

Like I said, if I had known these shoes were so comfortable, I would have used them a lot earlier.  This reminds me of the Aeron chair we read about in Chapter 5 of Kenna’s Dilemma. The chair was built to be comfortable but the look was so different and new that people had a bad first reaction to it. Should TOMS have advertised the comfort of the shoes more to combat the “dull” look of the shoe? On the other hand, would advertising their comfort take away from the story behind the product?

As I explained in my first blog, I am very interested in nonprofit organizations.  I want to either start my own nonprofit organization or play a very important role.  For this reason, this company is of great interest to me.  Maybe one day I can duplicate this idea and build a similar business (for a different product, of course). 

"The Business of Giving: TOMS Shoes" explains some answers to the previous questions and gives customer insight. The article explains that TOMS has proven to be “recession-proof.” They are not losing business during the recession. In fact, they are hiring. Why? The article says, “Consumers are now conscious about where they put their dollars. A product like TOMS that gives to others is appealing to people more than ever.” I think the price is perfect. They are not too expense. For a comfortable pair of shoes, someone with an average salary would not think twice about buying them.

Another reason, the article says, that people buy TOMS is because of the story attached to the product. “Buyers feel so good about their purchase they want to tell others about it.” There is a ‘how-cool-is-this buzz’ and the news spreads like wildfire through word-of-mouth.

The TOMS business plan was a great idea and has proven to be very successful. I want to discover everything TOMS did right and everything they did wrong (if anything). I also hope to discover what other products this idea could work for. I believe this business plan is worth pursuing for many different products in the future.

Customer Experience

When I think about great customer experiences, the first thing that comes to my mind is India. During my yearly visits, I experience true customer service. I can recall one specific event perfectly. 

About a year and a half ago, my brother, aunt, and I were travelling to India together to meet some family. Our itinerary was as follows: Laredo to Houston, Houston to Germany (9 hour flight), Germany to India (another 9 hour flight). Our flight from Houston to Germany was delayed and we missed our connection from Germany to Chennai, India. When we landed in Germany, we spoke with the first customer agent we could find to help us. It was the worst customer service I have ever experienced, but that is another story all together. Anyways, we were put on a flight to Mumbai, India and told we had to spend the night there and fly the next morning to Chennai. We reached Mumbai around midnight after a 24 hours journey, and found our way to the Taj Mahal Palace. We figured we would splurge a little after the long trip. By the way, we had to pay for transportation, hotel accommodations, and food while staying in Mumbai.  If you recall, there were terrorist attacks in Mumbai about 2 years ago and security was at a high point when we visited. To reach the hotel, we drove past a guarded gate and a few security guards. After a long trip, this helped ease my tension and made me feel extremely safe. Now all I could think about was food, a shower, and sleep.

As the taxi driver parked the car, our bags were removed from the trunk for us. Though this is a standard procedure at many hotels, what happened next definitely was not. We walked into the hotel (it was even more beautiful inside than it was outside), to the front desk. The front desk attendant said, “We’ve been awaiting your arrival. Shall we walk up to your room?” I was wondering how they checked-in guests but didn’t argue. She explained that they are able to check in guests in their hotel room. They like to go the extra mile especially for people who have traveled far to reach their hotel. Ahhh, a sigh of relief. She walked us up the room, asked for a credit card, told us to feel free to order room service, and left us to get settled in. We didn’t wait long to order sandwiches and. Finally good food and a bed! After a few minutes our bags arrived, and I showered first J. A few more minutes later, the front desk attendant knocked on our door, handed us our keys, credit card, and had us sign some papers. She left and a few minutes later... the food!  That really hit the spot. Then, I crawled into a bed and got some well-needed sleep!

SENSE

If you’ve ever flown long distance before, you know the feeling of exhaustion and filth describes it perfectly. I had heard so much about this hotel before visiting it, but I wasn’t at all excited to see it in person. We weren’t even supposed to be in Mumbai! I have to say, though, the experience was well worth the detour.  Just to be out of an airport was wonderful. The hotel was beautiful, and the service was unbelievable. The food tasted delicious, the shower amazing, and the bed the most comfortable.

FEEL

Considering the circumstances, things couldn’t have been better. All I wanted before reaching the hotel was someone to be nice! What we received was perfect customer service. I felt safe and extremely comforted. Bags, check-in, and food brought to our room door. What a relief!

THINK

I was surprised at the ease of this hotel stay. All I was thinking was: why doesn’t every hotel do this? Seems like such an easy concept so why hasn’t anyone thought of it before? I understand the way it was done at this hotel was time consuming, but there are ways to make it a little easier. What if hotels brought up the paperwork and a credit card machine to the hotel room? The front desk attendant wouldn’t have to go back downstairs to do these things. What a great idea!

ACT

My parents own a La Quinta Inn & Suites in Laredo, TX and my experience and the Taj inspired me to help them more. La Quinta isn’t an upscale hotel, and we can’t afford to make changes like these, but some minor changes would make a big difference. If we make a positive impact on a guest’s stay, they will be our customers forever. We began cracking down on our front desk, making sure they were welcoming and receptive to the guests’ needs. Asking how their day was and if there was anything we could do to make their stay more enjoyable made al the difference.

RELATE

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I find job in making other people happy. This hotel made me extremely happy! It inspired me to keep helping people to feel the way I did. The staff was sincerely concerned with making our stay comfortable and enjoyable. I realize it is their job to be nice, but I still appreciate their attitude and was inspired to keep helping others.   

Persona

1.     What do you think and feel?

            The most important thing to me is my family. I try to let them know how much I care about them as much as possible. Life is short, and it’s crucial to let those close to you know you love them. I also do what I can to help them with whatever they need. I guess I find joy in making others happy. On the same note, I hope to either play a big role in or start a non-profit organization. A quote I try to live by is, "If you have made one human being happier, one creature more comfortable, one heart more hopeful, your day has not been wasted."

            I consider myself an overachiever when it comes to work and school. I like to keep busy and am not much a procrastinator. Because of this, I tend to be easily stressed. In the fall of 2009, I was in my senior year of college full time, president of my sorority, studying for the GMAT, and applying to graduate school programs. It was the toughest few months of my life thus far (in regards to school), and I thought I would never get through it. Even though I believe things will always work out, I still get anxiety when I have a lot on my plate!

            I’ve been raised to believe everything happens for a reason. Of course, I still worry about life and what lies ahead, but my family always keeps me calm and grounded. My main worries and aspirations have to do with keeping those close to me happy. I’m lucky to be enrolled in a great program, and believe my work life will work itself out. Also, I’m pretty careful with the amount of money I spend so I know I don’t need a large amount of money to be financially comfortable. I just hope that in the future, I can raise a very happy family of my own... I’m not in any rush though!

2.     What do you see?

            I would definitely say people are inherently good. I tend to be very trusting and see the best in people. I’m still trying to figure out if this is a good thing though. Even when people do “bad” things, I figure they have a good reason or physiological explanation for what drove them to that point. 

            The think the world is a great place and worth exploring. After I graduate, I want to travel and see more of the world. I appreciate nature and would much rather be on a beach than a metropolitan city. I guess this is what led me to being a “green” person. My immediate family is not as concerned with the environment as I am. I’m not quite sure where I got this from, but I don’t like to waste anything! I try to use as little paper, electricity, plastic bottles, etc as possible – AND I try to convince everyone to REUSE AND RECYCLE!

3.     What do you say and do?

            I’m a very shy and reserved person. Though I try to be more outgoing, I find my introvert personality to be dominant. Meeting new people is always awkward! When I get to know people better, I am a lot more talkative. Also –I would consider myself a normal girl when it comes to my appearance and the way I dress – Jeans and a t-shirt all the way!

            Work hard, play hard is my motto. I don’t think I get too caught up in school. I like to spend time with friends and family whenever I can, and I might spend WAY too much time watching TV and movies.

4.     What do you hear?

            Most of my friends and family would probably describe me as quiet but hard working. I’m almost certain my prior boss would say the same thing. She was happy with my work, but always said I was too quiet. One of my colleagues pushed me to speak up when I needed something. The people who know me best would also say I’m pretty goofy (hopefully in a good way!) and that I’m too much of a perfectionist, especially when it comes to school and work.

5.     What do you hope to gain?

            Life is definitely a roller coaster of events and emotions. For some people there are more tough times while others seems to glide through life. I think the key, especially when you’re faced with many obstacles, is to maintain a good outlook on life. There are so many things that can go wrong, and you may not always get what you want. The key measure of success is a person’s attitude toward different events and life in general. The message of the day I received through e-mail today: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”