I hope everyone’s summer is off to an amazing start. This is such a fun time of year isn’t it? Longer days, kids playing outside, BBQ’s, bonfire’s and even music sounds a little sweeter sitting in the fresh air.
What a week! Met with three amazing companies, all with completely different social media needs.
The first was interested in strategies to drive more engagement and then more effectively report and quantify the value of those interactions.
Second, met with one of the largest companies in the US about launching a social media risk management program. Tracking conversations from their 250k employees, reputational risk associated with negative public relations and how industry factors like Obama Care impact their business.
Lastly, met with a brand on creating a social media command center filled with huge flat panel touch screens showing social media data. Its refreshing when a brand takes the social customer so seriously.
I love being exhausted at the end of the week knowing how many new things I learned and relationships I built.
During my travels two companies really caught my attention. One was good (Uber), one was bad (Marriott – next week’s blog!)
For those that don’t know, Uber is a great new taxi service. They have a mobile app that let’s you simply press a button and thru tracking your location a black car will show up in minutes.
The black cars are nicer and cleaner then a cab, they typically show up in 5-10 minutes (it can easily take twice that to get a cab in NYC, Chicago or San Fran), the drivers are professional and don’t drive like idiots, you rate each and every driver on your phone, they have bottled water and best of all you have to give them your credit card to use the app so when they drop you off you can just hop out.
That’s right, no hoping you have cash and waiting for change. No waiting for the credit card to be processed and hunting for a pen. Literally, you jump out of the car and go about your business and the receipt, tip included, is emailed to you immediately.
Brilliant service, especially for business travelers.
So why do I love the Uber story so much?
They reinvented the taxi experience and that is tough to do. How can you possible differentiate the taxi experience? Every single car is exactly the same, the rates are the same, how you get a cab is the same, how you pay is the same and they analyzed that situation and said;
1. We don’t want people to have to wait for a cab anymore with their hand up on a street corner in the rain or late at night. Solution: Click a button on your phone!
2. We don’t want people carry cash or wait for those slow credit card machines, then write in a tip and sign. Solution: Auto bill and email you receipt.
3. We want to give limo type service, for a little more than a cost of a dirty, smelly taxi.
Downside? It is about 20% more expensive than a cab. So a $40 cab ride would likely be $50 on Uber for the same distance.
My only complaint? They need to pay closer attention to social media!
I flew from Chicago to San Francisco recently, arrived late and my cell phone had died. I asked the driver if he had an iPhone 5 charger and he didn’t so I thought I would not call, not email, you guessed it, tweet Uber with a suggestion that their drivers should carry an extra cell phone charger in the car.
Unfortunately no one replied to my tweet! Let’s talk social customer care Uber!
Chad - Rappin' On Social Customer Service 