2010 is going to be a big year. It’s the start of a new decade, and the larger-than-life wave of social media is taking the forefront. Companies are slowly but surely learning that social media strategies are imperative for survival in the coming year. As I mentioned in my previous observations, social media and emerging media manager roles are being created and integrated into organizational structures worldwide. Take, for example, The Associated Press, which is restructuring the way its reporters gather and report the news. This week, AP introduced a social networks and news engagement manager to its first Social Network Center at its New York hub.
With social media giving a strong voice to the customer, companies are experiencing the pressure of whether their products or services can hold up to their brand pillars. One misstep and a company can face serious damage, now that everyone has a way to upload and distribute it around the world. You may remember one such mishap – the “United Breaks Guitars” video that went viral after Canadian country singer Dave Carroll’s guitar was destroyed on a United Airlines flight more than a year ago. Last summer, he used YouTube to broadcast a music video about the disaster.
“T-Mobile’s service for their Sidekicks went down worldwide a week ago and many many many users STILL have not been able to access their contacts. Since then, T-Mobile’s customer service and communication with their customers has SUCKED. It’s pathetic, disgusting and insulting! To add insult to injury, the ONLY thing T-Mobile is offering their customers, whom they obviously don’t value or respect, is one month of free data service.”
