November 4, 2009 31 Comments

Wiring Up Business- Two Channel Social

Cell Phones Let’s imagine you’re a small or medium sized business and looking to use social software to improve communications on many fronts: support, service, marketing, etc. If you chose to use a service like Twitter, for instance, for some of this communicating, I can see the need to have a two-channel mindset: one public and customer-facing and the other private and business-facing. On the public channel, you’d talk with customers and prospects about the business, including everything from support help to promotional opportunities, to general good will. On the other channel, you’d communicate with people about the business itself, such as directing attention to important matters, or keeping track of employee activities, etc.

These could be all within a public system like Twitter, with the private channel activities being performed via Direct Message only, or the private conversations could be via a private platform like Socialcast or Yammer. The benefits to keeping them all in Twitter is a simple user experience for employees of the business. The downside would be the potential to spill private business into the public channel in error.

Now, where this gets interesting is when you think of either b2b additions to this, or affinity relationships. What if all the people up and around Jay Peak in Vermont, like Steve Wright all kept a Twitter list of local related businesses. Maybe Steve’s list would have alternative lodging and dining options, some medical professionals, massage therapists, ski repair shops, etc, all wired together in a Twitter list, so that he could monitor their public conversation for potential crossover opportunities. Suppliers to Steve could see his needs easily. Steve could assist in directing customers to related businesses while being up to the minute with what the situation is at their establishment (this all assumes that everyone’s keeping their channels updated).

The only thing missing is some kind of “memory” for the system. For instance, if Steve finds out that Boyd from the ski repair shop is going away for two days, how will he alert the next day’s crew to this information? And how will the overall “system” stay aware of such logistical changes? It would probably require some kind of alternative platform, like either a Facebook fan page that relates to that wired up group, or maybe a group blog. Either way, it’s not too hard to add it on.

What makes this different than email? Brevity, for one. For another, it’s a more flexible sharing option requiring less duplication of effort. For another, it serves many purposes in the public-facing channel mode, and helps speed up processes on the private in-business mode.

Squint a little, and you’ll see a few other ways to design these experiences for a business. Can you see the value?

Related posts:

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  3. The Business Of Social Directory Assistance
  4. The Building Blocks of Social Media for Business
  5. What Human Business And the Social Web Are About

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  • http://detroit.fwix.com Jamie Favreau

    Sounds like a great idea but I don't like the idea of something accidentally slipping if you are on the wrong channel. If this could be avoided it would cut down a lot of time and make communication easier.

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  • http://www.7starcabletv.com/ Danial Farooque

    Thanks for sharing the ideas !

  • http://www.relenet.com/ Tom Rau

    An interesting idea, Chris. Although I guess it will be difficult to get all local businesses on to Twitter. Depending on the success of it, it could become a basic necessity like a phone book entry.
    But to be honest, I'm a bit skeptic right now.

  • http://internetjobscams.blogspot.com work at home

    Thank you for sharing your great idea.

  • Dorethia

    I would be interested in how integrating this would work for Medical Facilities, Hospitals, etc. – which could benefit from implementing social media tools, but also must maintain confidentiality, etc.

  • http://blog.zeus.com/ frintonboy

    Great concept. With the Geo data that Twitter is adding to the API this could be closer and easier to do than we think.

    Create an app to extract the Tweets “local” to you, and you do not need to worry about maintaining lists etc. Plus the bonus of catching passing trade (eg “I want to buy xxx locally can someone help?”

    All that is then required is the channel seperation. Not too difficult I would have thought. Build it and they will come…

    Nick

  • http://www.facebook.com/hopkinspatrick Patrick Hopkins

    Interesting concept. Could extend beyond business too local “news”.

  • http://www.dollarmintor.com/affilites Denise Zimmerman/MICASCORDZ

    Hello I am Denise, New affiliate I love to go on twitter, and promote companies and business that I believe is worth wild. I like to socialize, and yet at the same time I enjoy a good business. In marketing, the products are out there, for people to see,and use new and old. I try to find what people are looking for, even though there is a lot of research involved. I would like to get to know the people I work with and represent so I know what they are looking, in a partner and so forth.

  • http://www.dollarmintor.com/affiliate. Denise Zimmerman/MICASCORDZ

    I have a couple of business in my home town that do pretty good. I have talk with them in getting more business for them. I just want to know what is the best way and right way to advertise for them, so they draw in more business

  • http://twitter.com/jeffhora Jeff Hora

    The Twitter/Yamer solution for b2c/b2b comms is used today by largers orgs, so there is no reason why it wouldn't work for SMB. Having a private Twitter channel would help solve the issue of having two different tools, but perhaps the fact of having to shift tools will help keep accidental cross-over to a minimum.

  • http://www.keithburtis.com Keith Burtis

    Chris, I think that the lists are way cool for being able to see whats going on and mining potential opportunity especially within a specific segment or geographic location. The problem is if you search for people in twitter all you get back are names of businesses or people that have 'Buffalo' in their handle. No matter how deep you dig it is nearly impossible to find actual people within that location. Twitter has a long way to go.

  • http://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalguthrie Crystal Guthrie

    It makes sense, and I could see it catching on. There was a time when most businesses didn't have a computer. This would be a much smaller transition when you think about it.

  • http://www.davidwalker.tv/ David Walker

    Worrying … and it is bound to happen because of human error but I think it's nothing more than a kink that can be worked out easily. I agree with you about this being a great idea, just thinking of how much easier and better it will be if it worked. The Steve Wright example opens you up to the possibilities, doesn't it?

  • bonniebruderer

    I really enjoyed your posting. It is great to see that view on social media. I work with a company that automates all of your social media, and it is so important to know what you are doing out there. Kudos to you!

    http://tinyurl.com/automatedsocialmedia

  • http://bradymacdoff.wordpress.com/ Brady Macdoff

    Thanks for sharing the ideas !
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  • http://www.TheValuePagesGroup.com Jason Sanders

    It's funny that you wrote this and describe the exact thing I'm working on. If you like the idea, I know I'm on to something.

  • http://www.keithburtis.com Keith Burtis

    I would have to say in my opinion that Twitter is not secure or reliable enough for medical facilities. If you are just sharing information with staff that may be ok, but HIPA will require much more secure settings for Medical Data.

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  • http://twitter.com/kalalea Mark Gehrke

    Chris, this is a very, very smart idea. It empowers the very small business, small community network because of its simplicity and its speed. I'm helping a local business organization to weave together their members twitter and facebook networks right now. We are just in the beginning stages and building participation in the biz community. We are seeing micro examples of the power of local networking with twitter already.

    What you're talking about here is tapping the power of the small town / neighborhood business in real life recommendation network with new tools for super quick communication. I love it!

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  • http://www.readitfor.me stevecunningham

    Keith – great point. But I think somebody is going to figure the technical issues out in short order so we can use these social tools where they will have the most impact.

  • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

    The biggest issue (remember Im in Spain) is the education and understanding of these small business in the tools and possibilities Chris.

    At a rough guess, most businesses here would be 5 years behind the States so you can imagine the issues faced in even suggesting the idea, even though the people are using and developing there networks in social media there is a stop gap that needs to be addressed initially. The idea is of solid in theory though.

  • http://www.justinparks.com Justin Parks

    The biggest issue (remember Im in Spain) is the education and understanding of these small business in the tools and possibilities Chris.

    At a rough guess, most businesses here would be 5 years behind the States so you can imagine the issues faced in even suggesting the idea, even though the people are using and developing there networks in social media there is a stop gap that needs to be addressed initially. The idea is of solid in theory though.

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    The very small business, because of its simplicity and its speed empowers small community networks. I'm helping a local business organization to its members still knitting together Twitter and Facebook networks. Biz just in the beginning stages and we are building community partnerships. Local networking with Twitter we already are seeing the power of subtle examples.

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    Chris, I think that the lists are way cool for being able to see whats going on and mining potential opportunity especially within a specific segment or geographic location. The problem is if you search for people in twitter all you get back are names of businesses or people that have 'Buffalo' in their handle. No matter how deep you dig it is nearly impossible to find actual people within that location. Twitter has a long way to go.