Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSAKirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSAAssociate Professor of Communication, Curry CollegeAssociate Professor of Communication, Curry College

Member, PRSA Board of Ethics & Professional StandardsMember, PRSA Board of Ethics & Professional Standards

(617) 979-3526 / khazlett0104@curry.edu(617) 979-3526 / khazlett0104@curry.eduTwitter: @kirkhazlett / LinkedIn: kirkhazlett

Facebook: Kirk Hazlett / Blog: http://kirkhazlett.com

Social media is still evolving as a Social media is still evolving as a

way for consumers to interact way for consumers to interact

with an organization.with an organization.Do you want to be Do you want to be aheadahead of the of the

curve or playing catch-up??curve or playing catch-up??

82%

64%

““Proactive” today means Proactive” today means

identifying the social media identifying the social media

platforms visited by your current platforms visited by your current

and potential customers and and potential customers and

establishing your presence establishing your presence

there.there.

““People are going to talk about People are going to talk about

your business whether you like it your business whether you like it

or not…or not…

about your service, your about your service, your

products,products,

your quality, and your value.your quality, and your value.

Larry Weber, Larry Weber, “Sticks & Stones”“Sticks & Stones”

What do you do?!?What do you do?!?

First, you must be willing to First, you must be willing to

allocate resources to activities allocate resources to activities

that engage, drive advocacy, and that engage, drive advocacy, and

manage reputation.manage reputation.

Then,Then,

you respond.you respond.

Quickly…Candidly…Openly.Quickly…Candidly…Openly.

BUT…BUT…

……and aand a

BIG,BIG,

HUGEHUGE,,

BUT…BUT…

If you’ve delegated the duties to If you’ve delegated the duties to

someone else and you’re not someone else and you’re not

totally in the loop when it comes totally in the loop when it comes

to customer service and to customer service and

response…response…

……Be sure that everyoneBe sure that everyone

involved in the processinvolved in the process

knows…and can communicate…knows…and can communicate…

your thoughts and beliefs.your thoughts and beliefs.

Online customer service is no Online customer service is no

different than face-to-face different than face-to-face

customer service.customer service.

The customer asks a question, The customer asks a question,

makes an observation, or offers a makes an observation, or offers a

suggestion.suggestion.

And…And…

Sometimes, things go very, very wrong.

Why worry?Why worry?What’s the big deal??What’s the big deal??

““The unhappy customer is more The unhappy customer is more

likely to vent online than is the likely to vent online than is the

happy customer.”happy customer.”

Only 4% of customers will tell YOU.Only 4% of customers will tell YOU.

But on average they will tell But on average they will tell

11 others!11 others!

According to findings from the According to findings from the

Edelman Trust Barometer, more Edelman Trust Barometer, more

and more people are inclined to and more people are inclined to

trust a stranger’s opinion over an trust a stranger’s opinion over an

expert’s opinion…and certainly expert’s opinion…and certainly

over a company executive’s over a company executive’s

opinion.opinion.

In the U.S., trust in “a person like In the U.S., trust in “a person like

me” increased from 20% in 2003 me” increased from 20% in 2003

to 62% today.to 62% today.

Among the general public, only Among the general public, only

one in four general public one in four general public

respondents trusts business respondents trusts business

leaders to correct issues and leaders to correct issues and

even fewer – one in five – to tell even fewer – one in five – to tell

the truth and make ethical and the truth and make ethical and

moral decisions.moral decisions.

Employees are considered the Employees are considered the

most trusted source across most most trusted source across most

clusters of trust attributes, clusters of trust attributes,

especially among those attributes especially among those attributes

grouped under engagement (50 grouped under engagement (50

percent) and integrity (37 percent) and integrity (37

percent).percent).

In most markets, more than 80% of In most markets, more than 80% of

respondents said they would refuse respondents said they would refuse

to buy goods or services from a to buy goods or services from a

company they did not trust.company they did not trust.

““More than 70% will ‘criticize More than 70% will ‘criticize

[companies they do not trust] to [companies they do not trust] to

people they know,’…with people they know,’…with one-thirdone-third

sharing their opinions and sharing their opinions and

experiences of a distrusted experiences of a distrusted

company on the Web.”company on the Web.”

In the simplest terms, you HAVE In the simplest terms, you HAVE

to provide a way for your to provide a way for your

customers and others to leave customers and others to leave

their thoughts, wishes, their thoughts, wishes,

complaints, expressions of complaints, expressions of

satisfaction…whatever they feel satisfaction…whatever they feel

like communicating…on your like communicating…on your

site.site.

So how do you stay ahead of the So how do you stay ahead of the

growing trend of turning to third-growing trend of turning to third-

party sources to learn about your party sources to learn about your

product or serviceproduct or service

beforebefore turning to turning to youryour

information?information?

Any executives who don't think they

need a customer service presence on

social media need only to recall the

experience of United Airlines in the

wake of the YouTube video "United

Breaks Guitars."

New York Times: “United Airline’s

stock price fell 10%, costing

stockholders about $180 million in

value.

As of February 2011, the video has

had more than 10 million views…10

million current and potential

customers!