Make you own customer service department with Twitter!

Hello there and I hope Crow looked after you nicely with his blogging over the last two weeks. He makes such a fuss when I ask him to step in for me, complaining that his beak gets sore with all the typing, but I’m sure he loves it really…

Now I was reminded of the power of Twitter this week when I used it to complain about @DolphinMusic who had supplied me with the wrong guitar cable. They were also two weeks late with the delivery, so I was not terribly happy with their service and duly complained using their email address for Customer ‘Service.’

Nothing happened.

I wasn’t serviced.

So, I decided to tweet them and complain loudly about what I considered to be poor service and – (as Cilla Black would have said) surprise surprise – I had a response within a couple of hours asking for my details and email address.

On supplying these, the Sales Manager (a nice chap called Andrew) emailed me to apologise and then sent me a new, top quality cable FOC that day….which really was good customer service.

And the moral of the story?

If you’re not on Twitter – who is complaining about your service …and you’re not there to hear it?

Twitter is a force for good and is a great way to reach organisations that could remain faceless and uncaring. I didn’t even know Dolphin Music had a Twitter presence…I just took a chance! And I knew if they were out there, they wouldn’t want to read bad PR in the timeline that I share with 1,500 followers! They didn’t!

So, next time you need to complain – use Twitter. It works.

And if Crow ever complains about me – I’m on Twitter @RichardMaun so I’ll see it and can forward it on to customer services. They can send him some ointment for his beak. He’d like that!

Are you a Twuggle?

Well here’s a thing; if the world of magic is divided into wizards and muggles then I think the social media world has similar population groups and so I’ve coined a new word:

Twuggles

Put simply a Twuggle is a person who doesn’t ‘get’ Twitter. They also tend to be disparaging about Tweeters (people who like to Tweet) and for reasons that I can’t quite fathom assume that all Tweeters are either:

Spambots – Internet crawlers – Kerb crawlers – Russian brides on the make – Sleazy MLM people on the take – Footpads – Cutpurses – Lollygaggers – Ne’er do wells – Viagra chuggers – Wierdoes – Saddoes  …or Odd Bods.

Spotting a Twuggle is easy; you just have to mention that you’re popping out for a quick tweet and if your partner, or colleague, rolls their eyes, gives out a little sigh, or says ‘if you really have to’ then it’s highly probable that they are a Twuggle. Be nice to them though; they’re the ones missing out. But why?

Well, my hunch is that people have been conditioned by lurid tabloid tales to assume that the internet is roughly the equivalent of a Wild West Saloon, populated by hookers, gunmen and cattle rustlers. By extension, anyone who likes to chat to people on the internet and especially Twitter is somehow not playing with a full deck, or is a crook, or is just on the make.

In any population group there is going to be a diverse range of characters and motives and undoubtedly there are some rum coves on Twitter; people who need to be blocked, or offered specialist help. There are also bank robbers and spammers, but that doesn’t stop people from using banks or collecting their email. So, why the prejudice for social media? Perhaps people have had one awkward experience and now choose to judge the world by it, or perhaps they have picked up an unhelpful Parental message that ‘social media is bad’ (in the way that watching too much TV is certain to ruin your eyes).

Personally, I think we have a choice to make; embrace it and see how it can help us to run our businesses, or improve our lives (through fast and effective communications) or ignore it and hope it goes away. So, what do you choose?

I mean… those horseless carriages took a bit of time to get established, but who would want to be without theirs now?

My view is that, despite the odd crank, Twitter is a force for good and is full of people being people. Real people, who work as teachers, business types, nurses, accountants, photographers, chefs and mums and dads and so on. Real people connecting with real people and having real conversations and being contactful. People need contact; it’s a basic human hunger and we all need to be fed.

Being a Twuggle means potentially having a closed mind about the benefits of an integrated communications network, and yet two hundred years ago society actually did have an early version of Twitter; it was called the village green, or the market square. People would go to chat and trade and meet other people. Would all those people have been thought of as scoundrels? I doubt it.

So, my message is this: Given the pace of change and the need to keep ourselves up to speed with developments can people really afford to be Twuggles?

It’s worth a thought as nobody really likes to be left behind do they? Struggling to mount their horse of fate when the next horseless carriage of opportunity goes whoosing by…

If you’re married to a Twuggle or have been affected by these thoughts then have a look at this related post about why Twitter works or ring the helpline to talk to one of our trained advisors. If you’re a Tweeter struggling in a world of Twuggles you can rest easy in the knowledge that you’re ahead of the game and have realised that, like it or not, social media is here to stay.

Tweeters, in my experience, are real people and good people and I like them.

Technology and cans (and coffee)

My glasses have been misbehaving. Not playing violent 18-rated games on XBox (which they’re too young for) or staying out late without telling me when they’d be home. No. Something much worse.

They’ve been slipping down my nose.

I know. Scandalous isn’t it.

When they gently descend and force me to peer out over the top of the rims I look like a patronising professor. I then have to push them back up, knowing they will soon defeat me once more. And you thought you had a tough life!

So to tell them who’s boss I popped into my local optician and had them sorted. They were given a stern talking to, made to sit in the naughty-glasses-case for five minutes and finally heated up and had their arms gently adjusted. They’re now a reformed character and back to doing their job properly.

During the course of their rehabilitation I learned that the optician’s daughter was currently writing a dissertation about Twitter. Amazing! Something that hardly existed two years ago is now a serious topic for academic research. She was writing about it’s usefulness as a marketing tool for publishing and ebook sales. Twitter has certainly helped me to sell books and it reminded me that if we want to be successful at selling products and services we need to attack all the routes to market.

It costs nothing to explore Twitter, other than some time and maybe a bit of nervous energy, as we wonder if people will want to follow us. Follow me at @RichardMaun and I’ll follow you back, all for free.

In my world of books it’s important to use tools like Twitter and YouTube to find customers and make them aware of my products. Thanks to the work of the actor known as Brian we’ve managed to generate more interest and more sales with the two short films he’s already starred in.

Continuing the theme from last week’s post, about what I did well in 2011, the discussion with the optician reminded me that new technology is here to stay and that I continued to do a good job of using it this year. Looking back over 2010 I gained over 1,000 newfollowers on Twitter, posted 2 videos on YouTube, set up a FaceBook fanpage for Job Hunting 3.0, developed the blogsite and posted each week and, perhaps the smartest thing; integrated it all with my much loved Blackberry. (Apologies to iPhones everywhere).

So when you look back on your success in 2011, which bits of technology did you use really well? Instead of dismissing it as ‘not for my business’ how did you make it work for you?

Remember; if we think we can’t…then we can’t. If we think we can…then we can.

Using technology for the good of our business, or our life, is about simply changing the can’t in our head to a can and then having a go. Technology is there to be used, whatever products or services your business provides. And I’m calling it technology because that is what it is; social media is just a current buzz-word for some of the content, but you still need a computer, smart phone, broadband connection and html coded website to link it all up and make it work.

And if my glasses misbehave again, technology will provide a solution. I’m going to have bionic eyes installed.

I gave myself permission to play! What about you?

Well hello and caw! Hope you had a fun Christmas?! We had fun, out in the field watching the silly pigeons trying to pull crackers and scaring themselves to death each time one went *Bang!* …Hilarious! You had to be there!

By the way, I meant the crackers going *bang* and not the pigeons! Caw!

So this is my last blog post for a while as Richard is insisting that he’s coming back next week. I think he’s going to be talking about mince pies…they’re his favourite subject at the moment!

And thinking of food, these days after the Big Bash are all about leftovers aren’t they? Lots of bits of this and portions of that being reheated and enjoyed in all sorts of odd combinations.

So in the spirit of post-Christmas recycling I thought I’d choose two of my favourite posts from the site. It’s what that lazy, mince-pie-munching ‘thinker of great thoughts’ Richard would approve of. Caw! They’re great little posts, but don’t tell Richard, or he’ll get all puffed up!

Here they are:

Why Twitter Works

…Which is all about why Twitter works. I like Twitter, but it’s not for all birds. Pigeons just don’t have the personality for it.

You Have Permission

…Which is all about giving yourself the chance to get on with life. It’s an interesting list that you can choose from. Caw! I chose them all! Which one did you like?

Well that’s me all done for a bit now. I’m off to annoy some pigeons, but I may come back again.

As this is the last post of 2010, Richard would like me to say Happy New Year to you. We both wish you a permission filled 2011…!!

Caw caw! Thanks for being with us this year! Bye!

You can follow me; you're all invited. I will follow back too!

Does your business card work hard enough for you? Does it really earn its keep in your wallet, ready to be offered to new and exciting people?

I’ve been pondering these questions for a while now as my card was designed when ‘social media’ was in short trousers and Twitter just an idea on a bar mat. Then a few weeks ago I saw a great business card on Twitter from my colleague Laura Brown (@yourfirstpa). The card came from Goodprint (@Goodprint) who have a number of great templates, so I took advantage of a special offer and spent a couple of hours designing my own Twitter business card.

Now that I have it…I love it; for two reasons. Firstly, it really promotes what I like to call ‘Brand Richard’. People buy people and the card tells potential clients something about me. It creates opportunities for people to ask me questions and there’s a great call to action at the top.

The other reason I love it is that it landed me a new client (yes really). A few days ago I bumped into a colleague and offered him one of my new Twitter cards and because he was with a lady visitor, I also offered one to her as a courtesy.

It sparked a conversation about networking and social media that lead to her asking me if I would like to run some workshops for her organisation. Would I?

Of course I would…

Take a moment to look at your business card and ask yourself if it does a great job of selling you? Does it invite discussion and give you a chance to sell yourself?

For me, I do like my existing business card, which still has a place in my wallet. However, the new Twitter card is fast becoming a great new addition, because it’s a clever way to achieve two vital networking goals:

1) Creating interesting conversations
2) Being memorable

Have a look in your wallet today. Is there space in there for a Twitter business card?

Books! Speaks!

If you’re new to this blog there are three great books listed on the homepage and you’re welcome to browse. If you’d like to know how to write one, do contact me and line up your questions. If you’d like me be a speaker for your group or event then you can have that too. I’ve been told that I’m pretty good at it (I love it). What would you like? Networking? Leadership? Runnng a business?

Pass It On

If you know someone who would be interested in this blog post please forward it to them, or ReTweet it, or let them know they can subscribe to regular emails via the box on the homepage.

One way to be heard...or you could tweet

I was asked this question at a recent workshop and my answer was; it’s a stroke rich environment. Simples.

In Transactional Analysis a ‘stroke’ is defined as a unit of recognition and we all have a need for recognition as an essential human hunger (Berne, 1966). I know the term ‘stroke’ has a medical meaning, but in this context it refers to the act of recognising our self or others. Think of it like stroking a cat; if you move from head to tail you might get a little buzzy purr and a happy kitty. Go from tail to head and you can lose a finger. Cats know all about strokes!

Twitter provides us (I like tweeting) with a chance to be heard and to be acknowledged. We don’t have to be saying anything smart, we can just be present and can have our existence validated.

All of the smiles we get, the banter and the electronic ‘hugs’ are real and genuine strokes. People on Twitter bank them, share them and relive them as their timeline flows and people comment and laugh and cry together.

If you’re sitting at home looking for a job, or in an office on your own, or raising children, or simply wading through the daily treacle of life, you too can have as many healthy strokes as you need.

Twitter is for real people. It works because when you write something you are noticing yourself first and that’s a good source of strokes. It works because you can have company when you’re physically isolated (stroke deprived). It works because people hand out strokes freely and the networks of Tweeters support and encourage each other.

There’s a big bonus too. Increasingly people are using Twitter as a source of business because people buy from people and chatting is a great way to develop relationships. I’m not talking here about the spam from multi-level marketing organisations (mlm) who can make you rich by clicking here!! (If it was that easy would I be writing this and would you be reading it?) What I mean is good old fashioned networking; talking to people, making friends, gaining trust and then doing business.

All these strokes can be great for our health and well-being and for our bank balance too.

And you can have all this for free. Twitter works because real people can really be present and get real, healthy strokes. Find me on Twitter at @RichardMaun and tell me what strokes you need. We can have a Twitter #strokeparty.

The Famous Crenshaw Hand Car Wash in LA

In the Summer I was miserable. I’m not afraid to admit that I have feelings. Feelings are good and without them life is simply a dull conveyor belt of experiences without depth or meaning.

I was miserable that business had declined, that a course I loved teaching on had ended and that the Summer was over. And then…

…And then I remembered that if a previous job hadn’t finished I would not have had a business to be miserable about… and this prompted me into thinking that endings can be good, as they clear the way for new and interesting opportunities to flourish. Feeling miserable was my wayof marking the end of some good times, a kind of inner car wash for the Volvo of my soul. Cars and souls need a bit of a scrub up sometimes.

Not knowing exactly what to do next, I decided to do several things and see were they led. I joined a new networking group called The Best of Norwich and taught myself how to use Twitter, Bitly, Facebook ads and Google ads, booked a few speculative meetings and even managed to play a minor scale on my bass guitar… And now?

Now, my diary is filling up. I have two new clients, my books have been marketed effectively and I have a couple of interesting career opportunities to play with. All because I allowed myself to feel miserable and come to a stop, rather than brushing my feelings aside and plodding on in the same old direction.

So let’s hear it for Misery! A useful emotion that can help us to find new directions!