Companies have discovered social networks across the board and are actively using them in contact with their B2C customers. But when it comes to B2B customers, many companies still find it difficult on social media. Computer giant Dell shows how it works. An example that smaller companies can also benefit from.
Technical and background information from a supplier offers customers valuable additional benefits and thus strengthens the relationship with the provider. In this context, Dell speaks of the “trusted advisor relationship,” a trusting advisory relationship between provider and customer. Dell uses various social media platforms to maintain this relationship, some of which the Group has launched specifically for this purpose. They are not only used for distribution, but also as a very powerful feedback channel.
Dell is just one of many companies that also use social media to serve B2B customers. They all benefit from the insight that business customers also appreciate a relationship of trust with a professionally experienced consultant. Dell provides customers with specialist information, but also a place where they can communicate directly with other customers. Dell, for its part, is learning what concerns customers.
Successful initiatives in social media always follow a few simple principles. Rishi Dave, Executive Director of Online Marketing at Dell's Public and Large Enterprise Business Unit, summarizes successful social B2B media in seven points together:
- Put the company's strategy and goals above everything else.
- Develop a content strategy that serves to achieve your goals.
- Find existing conversations on the web and listen.
- Train and motivate your employees and departments to become active on social media.
- Start and maintain a conversation with your customers and employees.
- Reward participants when they create and share interesting content.
- Measure your success and adjust your strategy accordingly.
In addition to the strategic integration of social media activities, two points stand out: monitoring and measurement and the active involvement of employees.
For monitoring, Dell operates its Social Media Listening Control Center, which collects and classifies up to 22,000 brand mentions globally in blogs, tweets and other social media channels. This gives Dell a real-time overview of its image and the topics that concern its customers in connection with the brand and products.
The involvement of employees is always crucial for the success of social media initiatives. Dell employees are specially trained in the use of social media and are then encouraged to actively speak out on specialist topics on social media platforms. However, it is always important that they make it clear that they work for Dell*. This is the only way they can be perceived as credible ambassadors for their company.
Not every company is an IT giant that operates globally and has the budgets and human resources for monitoring “à la Dell.” But even much smaller companies would do well to apply the seven simple basic rules. Every company can and should afford a clear strategy, involving employees as ambassadors of the company, monitoring and measuring success.
In the end, everyone wins: Customers receive wider and deeper information to solve any problems, and through consistent monitoring, the provider also gains important information from the market in addition to lively customer contact.
* This transparency and other principles are enshrined in the Social Media Policy.
links
My Social Media White Paper
(Rishi Dave, Dell on rishidave.com)