Social Media's Messing with Business Attitudes

By John Blom and Margie Church

It's well-known that one of the planks of social media is authenticity.  To be effective, social media interactions require us to reveal the person or the people behind the brick and mortar. While we're minding our social Ps and Qs on the Internet, ask yourself whether the same good manners you're using on social media started in the office first. From the vendors you use, to every single person who comes in or calls, do you offer the same high level of courtesy and service you do on social media?

Before you get all flustered and think poorly of me for even asking, think of this: if you have no witnesses, do you act the same as if you had a room full? 

Social media interactions can be seen and read by thousands of people at the click of a button. But if someone walks in your office, perhaps no one will overhear the conversation. Before the advent of social communications tools, a member had fewer ways to share their experiences – good and bad—with the world. But today, the information highway is never closed. Fearing that reality doesn't change it either. If you shut down access to social media at work, that doesn't mean employees and customers won't discuss their experiences afterhours. The underlying message is your electronic and your human personas need to mesh.

What to do?

Support for social media in a commercial application has to come from the top down. I suggest it has to come from the inside out, as well. Drive that authenticity through your entire organization. Make every interaction with your credit union hit a high standard of sincerity and excellence. Reward employees for their good attitude and effort toward making your credit union live up to the credit union motto: "Not for profit, not for charity, but for service."

What have been your successes and struggles with social media? We all learn when we share.

Pinpoint Direct Marketing creates data-driven, electronic and print marketing campaigns for the financial industry. Its customized campaigns achieve excellent results without premium costs. Learn more about Pinpoint Direct Marketing at www.PDMKT.com or call Kerry Blom, owner, 866-784-7555.