Cross-posted on Social Media Group.
Recently, Network Solutions engaged Livingston Communications (soon to be Social Media Group) to engage in a reputation monitoring and social PR. Phase one began on July 1, an effort to directly engage generators of negative commentary on blogs, Twitter and forums in a listen and respond conversation. Just one month into it, we’ve already seen some incredible conversations and results:
Consider the following commentary:
Maybe this Social Media Thing Works After All: “It takes a certain level of complete and utter dissatisfaction for someone (or at least me) to blog about it. It’s unfortunate that a blog entry (NOT our letter to customer service) caught the attention of the uppers at Network Solutions, but it’s smart of them to monitor the chatter. And it’s appreciated, as a person who had a situation that needed rectifying.”
Michael Arrington’s Network Solutions post clarification: “Network Solutions says I got at least part of the story wrong, since they’ve been talking about this issue for three years. My response: Then why engage in the practice? And will they now voluntarily stop?”
NetworkSolutions.Com Account Number Follow-Up: I am very happy to see a quick reaction to this and thank David for taking action.
And on Twitter, responses like these:
At the heart of the reputation management program is a serious long term commitment from Network Solutions to identify, listen and attempt to promptly resolve problems. We believe just saying we care isn’t enough, and do everything we can to resolve problems, and use the Voice of the Customer as a catalyst to evolve Network Solutions offerings. In some cases, we can’t always provide the answer people want to hear, but they know we are engaged. And it’s clearly making an immediate difference.
Our end goal is to significantly decrease the company’s 58 percent negative commentary ratio (as of June 30) by more than 20 points, effectively positioning the company as more reputable solutions provider. This is very similar to the Dell reputation program, but in our case, we will try to catalyze a faster decrease in posts with Phase II: Social PR (Sorry, details are under wraps).
The reputation process was forged by Kami Huyse, Qui Diaz, Larissa Fair and myself from the Livingston team, and Network Solutions’ Susan Wade and Shashi Bellamkonda. In addition, the program is continuing to be refined by all of us as well as team Network Solutions team members Connie Bensen and Gerry Rosso.
I am curious (Devil’s Advocate) … by being more conversational, don’t you increase the conversation and thus increase the likely hood for greater negative commentary? Your ratio of positive to negative commentary may be better, but will the overall level of negative commentary will ultimately increase?
It is interesting to see @netsolcares follow a similar path to @comcastcares on Twitter — but I think that is an excellent example of opening the door to allow for more “feed back”, which is traditionally negative. People will talk about you on things like Twitter regardless if you are listening or talking back — but once they know you are listening and talking back, that increases the volume of what is said. And as we all know, we are more likely to complain than to give praise.
No one really twitters, “Thank you @comcastcares, my cable worked perfectly today.”
It is good to hear that someone is finally helping these guys out. They have been in dire need for a very long time. I don’t personally know of anyone who used them 5 years ago that uses them any today. There have been so many horror stories and I always felt that netsol had such a bug net that they didn’t care what slipped through.
Martin: We believe people are already saying negative things. Network Solutions wants to engage and participant in these conversations so it can better serve its marketplace. I think in any relationship when a party works to correct perceived wrongs and to help the other, goodwill is created. This is the right move for Network Solutions.
On a larger scale, Network Solutions is committed to listening to the Voice of the Customer (an internal mantra, whether it’s in traditional media, regular old meetings, or online. The company is transitioning into a much more customer centric entity. So this is part of a larger strategy.
Also, other companies (like Dell for instance) have proven that by opening up the lines of communication the vitriol tends to go down and not up. With that also goes the responsibility of making changes that go well beyond talk, which is the whole point of Voice of the Customer. These thing together make me proud to be working on this account.
Also, in response to Martin. Here are some out of the blue nice things that were said about Network Solutions on Twitter:
americanfm: I give high marks to the Network Solutions SEO Seminar I attended this morning in San Francisco. Links are becoming a new currency.
abfo: Just went to a Network Solutions SEO seminar. Much better than I was expecting – hardly sold their services and good info. Recommended.
bigguyd: @Sooz what’s the deal with netsol? I use them without problems.
Got any update on this? How is it going towards your stated goals?