Servicing next generation users – real time integration with social media

 

Next generation users expect seamless, ubiquitous, real time communication and access to services regardless of device or access technology; these are the users that fueled the enormous boost of social media, changing communication paradigms faster and more radically than ever in the history of the communication.

 

This status quo is underlined by statistics placing Facebook as the third largest population worldwide with more than 500 million active users, half of which log on daily. To enhance their market position, operators must embrace these changes and add social media to their marketing mix, thus amplifying the impact of their offer and reach. With the services and content being distributed and discussed via peer- to-peer connections across social networks, the message becomes more authentic and relevant, thus drawing more qualified customers.

 

 

Real identity creates stickiness and encourages social networks’ growth and reliability. Your friends validate your presence in the social network and offer confidence to newcomers. When this is combined with the trend for people to collect hundreds of friends – a single interaction can be distributed to thousands of people.In a market moving towards minimum commitment and engagement, knowing the identity of your customers beyond a telephone number, knowing their interests and social sphere of influence opens new gateways to marketing creativity. Marketing gains social and demographic information with an unprecedented degree of precision and accuracy.

 

 

Essentially there are three different levels of integration, each level more tightly integrated than the previous one.

 

At the loosest end of integration, social media becomes another distinct marketing channel promoting the telecom brand in the same way as any other non-telecom product. This is valuable, but does not exploit the synergies of integrating with social media as a communication channel in itself, nor does it create seamless customer engagement.

 

The next level of integration involves connecting social media with the other components of operators’ marketing mix – such as embedding a Facebook ‘Like’ button on their own web portal or allowing web2SMS types of services, which leverage the billing relationship to charge for the messages as well as the infrastructure to deliver the service.

 

 

The tightest level of integration, in which social networking platforms offer the greatest opportunity for operators, is in enhancing customer loyalty.

By owning a large customer base, operators can become promoters of social network connections. Becoming your customers’ social friend establishes a truly personal connection and thus an outstanding experience. Access to services – whether bonus reloads or access to customer care benefits – can be enjoyed in real time, simultaneously on the mobile phone and on the social network. For example a mobile operator’s application embedded within the social network can allow users to configure their services, perhaps view their service charges and make support requests in real time.

 

As the engagement with the customer is personal and more bespoke, it increases loyalty but there will always be a group of customers who churn. In case of churners, especially pre- paid, together with the SIM, the operator loses its unique point of contact. However, when the network is integrated with a social network, another communication channel remains open towards the user. The cannot refuse promotion reaches the customer and if accepted the services are available in real time, while the user is still online in the social network. This kind of immediacy should generate a new ‘Like’.

 

Real time integration between social networks and the mobile network is the next step for loyalty management of the next generation user. It links the all-pervasive social network with the all-pervasive mobile network to create a mobile network that is socially connected.