markshaw.biz - Latest Comments

Re: Is your business making this stupid Twitter mistake?

Roger The Castle Man — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 05:34:48 -0000

Mark, thanks for the reminder, we need to listen and respond to tweets and not just push stuff at people, social media is about engagement after all. Stranger to sale in 1 tweet is rare, we should be exploring the resources on offer to us, it takes time, but the rewards are great.

Re: Is your business making this stupid Twitter mistake?

Mark Shaw — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 05:46:20 -0000

the point is that people talk about all sorts of issues etc.. search as a customer not as a business.. what would someone be saying that you have the answer to or solution for? then chat to them.. dont try to go from stranger to sale in 1 tweet unless that is what they want... Mark

Re: Is your business making this stupid Twitter mistake?

Bath Business Web — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 05:33:29 -0000

Consider me educated... it honestly never occured to me to actively search for business in this way. Perhaps because people tend to talk about twitter as a mouthpiece and not as a receiver? Anyway, will go and do some searching right now!

Re: Why am I so good at making referrals

Helen Dewdney — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 14:58:34 -0000

Just wanted to leave a comment to say that Mark is fab! I recently started a website and Mark gave me an hour of his time (possibly he couldn't get rid of me but that's his fault for being so interesting and helpful!) for nowt. He just tweeted me to say he had some feedback. Nothing in it for him (although if he has a complaint about a holiday again he knows where to come!) he certainly knows his stuff!

Re: The Psychology of people using Twitter as a customer service channel

Nigel Paice — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 14:36:25 -0000

Hi Mark,
I think you taught me this 140 characters at a time about a year ago and it's been invaluable. When I have a Customer service issue Twitter is my first port of call now, even before I pick up the phone. Some examples:

The post office sent me a refund cheque within 24 hours for a delayed package.
Tesco sent me a £10 giftcard for misleading info on their website

In addition I've help friends too by sharing the info and RT their problems so the companies know the (negative) message is spreading.

Friends were let down on a promised Sunday delivery. Delivery happened 8.30am Monday morning AND they got a £25.00 sorry.

The best one as far as I'm concerned was the student friend who had an A Level exam scheduled at the same time a large car company (his dream job) offered him an interview. He told them, they acknowledged, and then afterwards denied all knowledge of the conversation and wouldn't reschedule.

To cut a long story short, he got his interview, and got the job.

It all comes down to knowing where and when to place the @ symbol in a little 140 character microblog.

Re: Nationwide UK Twitter Tour…

Gary Gorman — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 05:11:10 -0000

Is there a market Mark? Have you had people say this is what you should do and that they would definitely go along? If you have then its a decent idea. If not then maybe it will prove to be a difficult sell (and it will still need selling because, although it is free, people are still giving up their time). Hope that helps.

Re: Lessons from a Business Failure

Steve — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 12:38:40 -0000

An host post... from an honest man in search of the right opportunity. Keep your eyes wide open and you'll spot the right one... all the points you make are true. So come on Mark... where can we channel your creativity and energy... somewhere with cash attached?

Re: Lessons from a Business Failure

Gary Gorman — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 11:32:20 -0000

Keep on keeping on Mark. More power to your elbow my friend.

Re: Lessons from a Business Failure

jennyflintoft — Fri, 12 Oct 2012 07:21:19 -0000

It's not how many times you fall, it's how many times you get back up again. Failing is one thing, but you're not a failure, Mark. Believing in better things for you round the corner :)

Re: Major EngagementIndex Announcement

Amanda Brown — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 04:15:03 -0000

I sympathise with you greatly Mark. Start-ups are hard - I have started 4 businesses so I should know. When I worked in the City I ran a small company fund and met with the management and the one element which stands out is that, all other things being equal, a cohesive vision is essential. I wish you all the best with your new team

Re: The Psychology of people using Twitter as a customer service channel

grahamjones — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 14:52:50 -0000

Well Mark, as you know I am a psychologist (though I admit it is difficult to type the word...!). I'm not sure I agree with you completely - few people know the technical difference of where you put the @mention. I doubt if they are flexing muscle. I think they are just trying to write something that reads reasonably well and seems almost grammatical. So if they start with "@sainsburys" it seems less logical than including their name later on in as near to a proper sentence as possible. Also, as you know, you can find thousands of company complaints that do not even us an @mention because many people do not understand the precise way of using Twitter that you so clearly do - but then you are a foremost Twitter expert. Most people don't have your knowledge.

What is really the question to ask is why do people bother in the first place to type such messages of complaint? What is their motivation?

Twitter, of course, is already a self-selected group of people who are prepared to be public about their thoughts. Most people are not like this; I suspect the degree of extroversion would be quite high amongst Twitter users. Hence their complaints about @sainsburys for instance would simply be part of that, done largely subconsciously with no real active thinking as to where to put the @mention or even whether to have one or not.

So, even though you raise an interesting issue about the kind of complaining that people do on Twitter, I actually doubt in most instances there is anything like the degree of consciousness about it that you suggest.

Twitter experts like you will think carefully about the way you use @mentions or not as the case may be. But the vast majority of people using Twitter are not experts.

Re: The Psychology of people using Twitter as a customer service channel

Clair Trebes — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 10:54:46 -0000

Hi Mark!

I really rate this post, because I myself have blogged on my own site and for others about the power of customer service through Social Media.

Certainly today the average Joe does have more 'weight' if they take to Twitter to get an answer.

In my own personal experience I've had dealings with 3 large UK company's over twitter to get resolutions over bad service issues. I had always started my dealings using the version 1 - and for 2/3 company's it worked absolutely fine. I had a far better response time than calling their call centres (one of which actually cut me off) or even drafting an email - at one point I was seemingly hacked off with 1 of them, but their ability to handle my problem in 1 hour, having been through a lengthy 7 day process did actually restore my faith in their customer service (even though I will refuse to use their services again)

The 3rd company in question has been a repeat offender, unfortunately and their ability to handle my customer service issues even via twitter is still not acceptable (for me anyway) It's not that they don't respond - they do, but their 'results' aren't good enough, and its a company we all have to use in the UK at some point or another - Almost weekly I have issues with them, and if I do, so must everyone else - in our office here, we don't even bother with a phone call / email - straight to Twitter as we know its manned - but they only reply when you chase them. So sometimes it requires method 2 to get their attention and prioritise the issues.

You are talking absolute sense here, and for the fact that consumers can have a better contact with organisations away from the dreadful 'outsourcing' of call centres, I think Social Media has helped Customer Service departments throughout the UK and further.

Thanks
Clair

Re: Why cant businesses simply say thank you?

Eric Woodhams — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 07:30:56 -0000

Great Blog post Mark. You've hit the nail on the head!

A recent customer of mine was blown away when I called him to thank him for paying his invoice promptly. He really thought it was a great touch, and consequently recommended me to two others!

Saying thank you works wonders!!

Re: Why cant businesses simply say thank you?

Paul — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 09:42:26 -0000

You are absolutely right, always a sales message, and as companies we probably do the same too. I have companies who ring me and thank me for my work or efforts and I make sure I do the same for companies I work with, but this is certainly worth thinking about, and Im certain it must have been frustrating being so disappointed. Nice article

Re: Kenneth Tong’s Tweets hits my all time vileness radar to the max

A reader. — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 08:51:34 -0000

This child (Let's face it, he hasn't evolved into a real man yet ) always hides behind the fact he's rich, has constant security and best legal teams around. Also claims he is friends of the Triads. Personally he seems like a little boy with too much money, too much time on his hands and his parents are nowhere in sight. I'd dearly love to hear what his parents think about him and if they share his views on the "hilarious" topic of stillborn babies. The fact he can laugh at this is proof he clearly hasn't experienced realities or harshness life brings. Are his parents so disgusted by him they aren't coming forward in letting everyone know the spawn is theirs ?
Rich people don't need to boast about what they have and indeed have been brought up with far more integrity and manners than him.They don't need to boast about connections they have. Why is he hiding behind his connections and security then spouting hate? It's like Jeremy Kyle standing in front of people ranting whilst security backs him up. If Kenneth Tong had no security, money nor legal team...he wouldn't be doing these things. Why? Because he would have nothing. No personality, no conscience nothing.

Re: Kenneth Tong’s Tweets hits my all time vileness radar to the max

Kat 0 — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 04:54:02 -0000

The freedom of speech & opinions slant really does not fly with me. Would he say it to them directly, while standing face to face? No he wouldn't and it's nothing to do with a keyboard giving you the strength to express what you would normally shy from. He isn't expressing a genuine opinion, he is being an attention seeker & in this day and age where society has become so desensitised he's had to plummet to beyond the depths of human decency to deliberately provoke a reaction.

Re: Kenneth Tong’s Tweets hits my all time vileness radar to the max

Mark Shaw — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 03:36:44 -0000

Thanks Graham for the comments.. You may well be right.. There does seem to be an inconsistency with Twitter re suspending accounts etc...

Re: Kenneth Tong’s Tweets hits my all time vileness radar to the max

grahamjones — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 03:17:53 -0000

It is interesting and revealing that Twitter has not banned this individual who has clearly gone beyond the bounds of decency and is an obvious bully - yet they have banned a Guardian journalist who merely Tweeted that the NBC coverage of the Olympics was poor. Strangely, Twitter is partnering with NBC.....!

Strikes me that Twitter has lost focus on what it needs to do. The company is focused more on money and much less on its users. That is the beginning of the end.

The one thing we know about social activity is that when the people organising it fail to organise it for the benefit of those taking part, then the participants desert the organisers. It nearly killed off Digg several years ago when they removed an item which was offensive to the US movie industry - the Digg users felt that Digg was more interested in commercial aspects than them. Digg has never really recovered.

The more Twitter allows the likes of Mr Tong to be an active part of the community and the more they ban people who they perceive as interfering with their commercial interests, the more that people will distrust them.

In five years Time we may well be saying "remember Twitter...?" and writing about the company that is trying to rescue them - much like the Digg situation now.

Re: Should celebrities or athletes out their trolls on Twitter

Chris Windley — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 10:24:04 -0000

Just to confirm what I said on Twitter Mark. I have zero tolerance for "trolls " . I have seen them destroy social networks, forums etc. and they have absolutely no right to do so. There is one person at fault here and that is the person that started it. The fact that a celebrity can bring all their supporters to their defence is irrelevant. To me it is great that they do so. A social network is like entering someone's house and when you are in it you abide by the rules of that house. If you don't want to do that - don't come in. Adrian's rules apply. You could give people a chance - 3 strikes and you are out - but these people hardly ever change. If they have done it once they will do it again.

Sometimes, however, patience and biding your time can be the greatest response. Often other will get the troll for you before you do ANYTHING !!

Re: Should celebrities or athletes out their trolls on Twitter

FionaGo — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 09:11:39 -0000

Excellent points, and your two rules are simple and brilliant!

Re: Should celebrities or athletes out their trolls on Twitter

Mark Shaw — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 04:50:20 -0000

thanks for an excellent reply.. and agree with your 2 rules...

Re: Should celebrities or athletes out their trolls on Twitter

Adrian Mawdsley — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 04:36:43 -0000

It's a fascinating discussion Mark - and I'm really split on it. In Tom Daley’s defence, I think he'd already received a couple of nasty tweets prior to that one and as you said, there's the heat of the moment side of things. We mustn't forget either that he's only 18. You and I – somewhere the other side of 20 have a little more experience that tells us to consider the situation first. On the flip side, "trolls" are not new on Social Media sites, nor is the concept of grumbling and complaining in the UK. By now anyone - irrespective of who they are - should be aware that these days, sticking your head above the parapet in any way is a guaranteed way of being shot at. (Not saying it's right, just how it is!). Another point to consider is that there has been a number of high profile “troll outings” recently – anyone who trolls now does it in the knowledge that there’s going to be a backlash against them. The more favoured a celeb, the bigger the backlash. The muppet in this situation offered an apology to Tom but then when he had no reply to it, went back to throwing insults and apparently said he was going to drown Tom - with Tom's following, that was only going to make it worse for him. So who’s right / wrong? The troll for the offensive comment? Tom for responding? Tom’s followers for turning on the troll? In the "perfect world" of cause and effect if the troll hadn't done it, it wouldn't have all happened, but Tom is a celeb and should know better. And round in a big circle we go! In the bigger picture we also have to look at the PR companies. Stars are now thrust earlier than ever into a much bigger public spotlight with promises of glory and riches beyond belief – but are the starts ready / mature enough / trained to cope? The past 10 years are littered with stories of how celebs / sports stars are just not ready to cope: Beckham, Rooney, Britney, Beiber… As I said, I’m split… I just work on the following two rules: 1. Never say anything you wouldn’t say to the person’s face. And 2 – most importantly – never, ever say anything at all that you wouldn’t want to explain and justify to your mum! Works for me!

Re: Why buying Twitter followers is a really bad idea

stevenhealey — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 11:22:25 -0000

In an ideal world you would attract twitter followers organically as you share your ideas interests and thoughts :This is the way you and I work our accounts:

We are still however attracting a random audience and we have no real idea how valid each account is (Do they actually tweet or do they interact:)

Re: Here are some Business related Twitter Myths..

Angie — Thu, 24 May 2012 12:45:10 -0000

makes so much sense and really interesting thanks Mark. But isn't it just basic common sense about good communication - whatever forum we use? Intentional, authentic, in it for others etc and then we get the best out of it. Bit like life really :) Having just introduced myself to Twitter I'm enjoying getting to know the culture. Aren't people great?! :)

Re: Customer care engagementIndex scores on Twitter – an Update

Deborah Mason — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 04:24:18 -0000

Really pleased it's going well for you Mark.