19 Feb

Social media isn’t the problem- its the current crop of managers

The current generation of managers (C Levels) are the barrier to Social Media.

And the problem is not social media that has just brought it to a head

There has been lots of traffic over recent months how junior staff are struggling to convince older managers of the benefits of Social Media.

The are stuggle has to come to a head because of Social Media

The C Level Managers today were junior staff in the 1980′s.  A time when the whole western world got so wrapped up in down-sizing, right sizing – productivity improvements.

They think, and I should know I went through it too, all about lean and mean – minimum staff to do a job – its all about the productivity per person.  To most of them Social Media is idle chatter in fact all chatter is idle.

All Customer Conversations are Idle Chatter

To the C Level Managers today whose careers started in the late 1970′s and 1980′s – any customer conversation is idle chatter.  Think about it, have you heard things like this.

Telephone Calls:  You spent too long on the customer account call! And by the way what were you talking to them about their kids playing basketball for?

Counter Service:  Stop talking to the customers just serve them and move on, time is money.

Now Bring on Social Media

Social media is about engaging with people, actually chatting to them.  That is most definitely not going to fly with a productivity mindset manager, especially when the results are hard to prove.

So as BenYoskovitz puts it

Unfortunately, too many mid-level and junior-level employees are forced to spend a disproportionate amount of their time figuring out how to justify things to their bosses ….

Marketing Will Tell Customers

Its not up to YOU  to create a relationship with customers – marketing will TELL our customers we want a relationship with them.

Probably a bit harsh that line, but I spent twenty years in Corporate life before joining the excellent world of a Small to Medium business.

But there is an element of truth to it.  Corporate marketing departments “control” the public message, including defining the companies relationship with clients.  Depending on the value of the client that is.

Measurement is the Key

The 1980′s crop of managers are not dumb, ( well I hope I am not) our careers have been built around measurement.  Measuring results is needed to justify decisions. That is just the way we were taught to think.   However we all struggle to measure the intangible value of customer conversations (relationship building conversations).

Social media will in time develop the metrics to prove it works.  Once it proves it and allowing for some time to change mindsets it will be adopted.  And it does work, for example

We dumped google adwords and just use Social Media and our leads went up 83%.

True Customer Relation Building May Become in Vogue

And this may even flow on to the broader area of customer conversations.  May be Dale Carnegie‘s principals for enhancing relationships may become in vogue again.

  • Become Genuinely Interested In Other People.
  • Be A Good Listener. Encourage Others To Talk About Themselves.
  • Talk In Terms Of The Other Person’s Interests.
  • Make The Other Person Feel Important — And Do It Sincerely.

Ultimately we will get back to talking to customers either on the phone, in the aisle, at the counter or on facebook etc.  Because the proof will emerge that it pays to do so.

For example more companies like us will be able to show themselves and others that Social Media infact time anytime spent on customer conversations works.

Please add your comments!

About Us

HireEzy is the complete business management solution for hire and rental companies. Not only does it include digital marketing, web integration it also includes social media marketing tool integration. For more information email us sales@makinglifeezy.com.au

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