Social media has enabled a new channel for customer feedback. It’s more than just a one-way feedback opportunity, but rather the start of a two-way dialogue where the change process can be witnessed and the outcome quickly implemented. As a customer, how do we maximize this channel and these new dialogues to foster a valuable outcome?

Well, we could moan and vent about our frustrations via Twitter, Facebook or even Yelp, but does that offer workable substance. How is that productive? I mentioned in an old post that just because you have the means to tweet or voice your opinion online (and have a potential product/service grievance), doesn’t mean you should do so carelessly or without some thought to your desired resolution.

Samantha Ogborn wrote a great post, Social Media Karma: Why Your Voice Reigns that offers insight into how you (as a consumer) can effectively leverage and increase the value of your social media voice.

Collective responsibility: As Matt Cheuvront comments, constructive criticism is powerful. If we’re going to take the time to offer feedback, then we need to do so in a way that’s thoughtful and offers value. That’s the beauty of constructive criticism – it encourages us to offer suggestions in a manner that’s direct, constructive, and not accusatory. Rather than solely criticizing, it outline solutions and offers opportunities for improvement.

Note that while a tantrum might get attention, it doesn’t necessarily result in a positive outcome – no one really wins. Sometimes we need to take a deep breathe and think about the outcome we’d prefer. What do we want or need, why were we upset, and how could the party on the other end make it better? Better yet, how could the party on the other end make it better for everyone – not just for you?

My advice to companies: Continue to listen, but also do so with a curious and keen mind. Don’t assume that everything we, as customers, say is of value. We appreciate that you are starting to open yourself up to the good, the bad, and the ugly, but sometimes a rant is just a rant. Maybe there isn’t always something subliminally valuable within that tweet, post, or comment – anger and venting can’t always be translated or harnessed (even when it’s justified).

Earlier this week I complained about Apple‘s unveiling of the new iPhone 4. Honestly, I was just complaining, really for the sake of complaining. As an Apple consumer, I have accepted that updates and shiner, new versions are par for the course with just about all Apple products. I’m sure my rant was picked up by someone at Apple, but my guess is that Apple will more likely act on actual constructive feedback from someone else, v. my quick fire love/hate of Apple remark.

We keep encourage companies to listen. Now let’s give them something worth listening to.

Image: red ears listened to the gods courtesy of uBookworm, Flickr

You are working at the edges of a lot of this stuff, and your experiences, reflections, and wisdom is very important to share. The currency of human relationship is really evolving here. Its possible to know a gazillion people online, but how does this impact our truest sense of community and our deeper desires for authentic connections and real relationships. I would love for you to say more about why you chose to do this now in this way, and your observations of what has changed for you since making this shift.

There are several pieces to which I wanted to publicly respond, starting with the statement, “the currency of human relationship is really evolving.” Human relationships are evolving. The greatest question that arises is how do we define the currency of human relationships: is it reflected in the quantity of those relationships or is it found in the quality. Right now it would appear that quantity is the preferred currency with individuals being judged by the number of connections via Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.

If quantity is becoming the universal measure, or currency, then we may in fact be looking at the de-evolution of human relationships. To me quantity of online relationships alone is shallow and hollow. It lacks the substance critical to a sustaining relationship. It forgoes true community and lacks authenticity. Though this is largely an argument based on perception it does in fact resonate with the way most of us approach our physical relationships, but not always synonymous with our digital ones.

The evolution of community, relationship and communication lies in quality. It’s about the blending of technology and fundamental community/relationship building. The web, and our online connections (ten or ten thousand), aid us in achieving impact of that quality, whether personal, mission or business centric. All of which are therein rooted in an association with a community that can be represented in something as simplistic as an online community/website (such as Etsy) or a brick and mortar institution like the Berkman Center. By the nature of our online habits, many of us are associated with communities even if we don’t recognize or vocally associate with that community.

I chose to define my personal online presence to live what I believe. I was being spread way to thin across the web and all incarnations of my relationships were feeling the strain. Concentration of my efforts and connections to my more intimate relationships can in fact have a far greater impact. I think this is key. Concentration of intention – the ripple will be huge. This is where I love the web, it enables the ripple to be manifested in a wide range of mediums, inclusive of both digital and physical means.

Doyle asked me about my observations, “what has changed for you since making this shift.” Personally, I feel lighter. I’m able to take the time to process and refocus my attention and energy. Professionally, I feel refreshed. I’m able to further develop an understanding of what’s needed in order to achieve the goals of both the organization I strive to support and the community I work to nurture.

Intellectually, I feel calm. I’m able to observe and digest the sociological shift in a way that focuses in on the foundation of such a technological revolution. Too soon do we forget that it’s about mindful, intentional and quality implementation of technology – and that community and authentic relationships require nurturing beyond the paradoxical limitations of the internet.

deborah909 Thanks for following me on Twitter! You’re also welcome to visit my blog: www.cyber-yenta.org 9:49 AM yesterday

Thumbs down: Pandora commercials. Ugh! Could this be the end of Pandora? It will be interesting to observe since Pandora could be walking a fine line – and I’m eager to witness user response. In regards to my own threshhold, I can stand the one commercial every five or ten songs, but it definetly interfers with my listening enjoyment – and deviates from the whole reason why I use Pandora (i.e. uninterrupted, commercial-free music).

However in order to satisfy my own blogging desires, and to leave you with something worthwhile, here’s Beth Kanter‘s Top 10 Nonprofit Technology (NPTech) and Social Media for Social Change Blogs (courtesy of Blogs.com):

Amy Sample Ward‘s Version of NPTech
CauseWired
Have Fun Do Good
Katya Andresen: Nonprofit Marketing Blog
Laura’s Notebook
Qui Diaz – Evange.list
Social Actions
Social Citizens Blog
SocialButterfly
ext337

Of course I had to add a plug for Cambridge Community Television (CCTV), while they might not be what typically comes to mind in regards to social change via blogging (since they are a public access center), they are nonetheless breaking the stereotype and doing just that. They are rapidly honing in and expanding upon the idea of localism, what it means, what it looks like and how is can be harnessed. CCTV is utilizing social media in a way that’s causing the metamorphosis of the public access community, which is increasingly critical as the traditional access model continues to be threaten .

Visit Save Access for more.

3. Tim reminded us that a medium is just a “means of human communication.”  Media include everything from printed newspapers and blogs to smoke signals and church sermons (Courtesy of Tim Walker, Social Media Breakfast Austin).

I love this statement, it’s simple, to the point and something that is rooted in my own ideology. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the glitz and glamor of the tools. There are lots of them, but the tools won’t magically work by themselves, they need to be directed in a thoughtful manner. As a communicator, marketer, consumer, or other, you have a responsibility to determine if the methods of communication are appropriate to the task, goal or audience.

Miscommunication occurs all the time. There’s an art to communication, to understanding the recipient and how 500+ other factors can play with or against the message you are offering. Perception and interpretation are paradoxical, even more so with the onset of so many new means of communication. It’s easy to be persuaded by the shinier offerings, but sometimes the most effective means of communication is found in the most simple acts, a phone call, note, hand shake or cup of coffee.

So before you get drawn into the bright light, think about what you’re trying to achieve, who you’re trying to reach,  how they prefer to be conversed with and lastly, what you want that interaction to say about you, because the definition of your own reputation is inevitably wrapped up within the method(s) and means selected.

Mumbai: Twitter’s Moment
Citizen journalism goes real time as Mumbai attacks unfold.

Twitter was inundated with “tweets”–short bursts of information posted by users –Wednesday as mainstream media outlets struggled to catch up with the scope of the attacks on India’s financial capital.

Specific to recent coverage, the question begs will the events of Mumbai impact the direction and/or definition of Twitter? As mainstream media outlets try to disassemble, disrupt and define Twitter, the Twittering community continues its constant state of evolution as individuals, communities and more make Twitter work for them. While I’m unsure of what’s next for Twitter, I do know that it’s not to be ignored, but rather participated in and cultivated throughout as Twitter, and its communities, work to define, refine and redefine itself for the foreseeable future.

The definition, and our associated opinions, no doubt vary widely, based on our own experiences, knowledge and prejudices:

Specifically what kind of literacy is being measured? Let’s see the effect on SAT reading and writing scores. Let’s see book sales data demographically.

On the one hand, I believe distractions were always an issue, and the internet has shifted, rather than created them. But on the other, to say it is a benefit, well let’s just see who the sponsors of this study were. It may be a little bit like the medical studies spouting the benefits of chocolate that were found to be funded by Hershey’s and the like.

— Dennis L, New York City (courtesy of NYT community comments)

There is a major disconnect occurring between those who understand the value of the web, media literacy and the future of technology; and those who don’t. This is clearly depicted by the comments made in response to the recent NYT article, Teenagers’ Internet Socializing Not a Bad Thing.

For those of us who are informed, we have a responsibility to aid in the guidance of youth as they navigate the array of skills they are accumulating, but who’s going  to guide the adults?

And better yet, how? Media literacy curriculum for parents is dramatically different then media literacy for kids, and education for scholars and corporations are other potentially independent categories. In order to cultivate understanding we must encourage this ever-increasing group of digital natives to think critically and participate mindfully, but that only gets us halfway there; we need to equally allocate literacy among a much broader, and feasibly more challenging, group of constituents.

For more of the community comments, click here.

Take Facebook, in some ways it is very easy to control how I navigate within this space – I control who I friend, which requests I accept and the options that are selected for the account. However, I am aware of my responsibility as a participant and am mindful of how I want to be perceived within the space. Though it should be noted that I am slightly more aware of my online rights and responsibilities then most.

Like the physical divvying of space, the virtual definition of space should ultimately be left in the hands of the participant, but this is not always the case, as certain sites predefine or default these decisions. Ultimately the question that remains is, how do you make the case for, and  enhance, digital literacy to ensure folks are not only educated, but empowered to control their virtual participation with the same thoughtfulness that they impart on their physical  lives each and everyday?

MagCloud enables you to publish your own magazines. All you have to do is upload a PDF and we’ll take care of the rest: printing, mailing, subscription management, and more.

How cool is that? It enables anyone with the creative urge to develop, publish and sell their own publications with access to a broad audience and super easy resources.

Rock on!

It has been such a refreshing opportunity to stretch both my creative and social wings. Per usual, my creative and socially-oriented self has been on the back burner. This project was what I needed to rekindled my love affair with the journey of creating. How quickly I forget that creating is just that: a journey, as so much of life is.

Full program: Grassroots Use of Technology Conference Program

This Saturday’s conference brings together a group of talented and passionate visionaries who are leveraging technology to promote a variety of social efforts. If you’re free on Saturday and live in the New England area, then I encourage you attend.