FunkThat!Think.Inspire.Create.

Social Networks [in this case web based] are so much about Community, Sharing and Trust. Recently in a client strat meeting those 3 words suddenly jumped into my head in BOLD and CAPS. All of what I am about to say seems so obvious now, but in reality hardly any company I know even mentions those 3 words in any internal or external conversations anymore. Its almost like big companies specifically are lingering in a time warp of insignificant shallow bullshit that they believe will somehow end up delivering a customer experience and happy, committed, loyal employees?

A company that has the inability to build a healthly internal community of ‘opt-in users’ both internally [with employees] and externally [with consumers] is pretty much dead in the water as far as I am concerned. Key words….. ‘opt-in’! Its all about choice and that includes accessing the positive mindspace and feelings of employees and customers towards your company/brand.

Sure I hear the words ‘community’ in a corporate when someone is referring to CSI and ’sharing’ maybe when a data network is being developed, my ‘best’ are phrases like ‘building consumer trust‘. These words in the corporate context are shallow, especially when held up against the rapid adoption and growth rate of opt-in users in some on-line Social Networks….

A dictionary meaning for the word community states :”a social group of any size whose members reside in a specific locality, share government, and often have a common cultural and historical heritage.” Why are companies not trying harder to build communities that share and trust…..? Sadly because they would have to be open, honest and give…… and they have forgotten how to do that!

With technology driving so much change nowadays it is really silly that Corporates are not taking more notice of its trends and lessons… well here’s a heads up for those with the ‘open door policy’…just hope your ears are not closed!

Posted by: Candice