Social Media Notes from T-Mobile UK

I just attended a webinar from T-Mobile UK about "Using Social Networks and Knowledge to Deliver a Better Customer Experience". Took some notes. Follows is the notes. Errors are mine.


* Social Media is Fast growing
* Poorly documented with few 'best practices'
* 45% of companies have zero FTE dedicated to social media.
* Reports show nearly 10% of support incidents handled via social media across all businesses.
* Social Media channels change - 'second life' --> 'twitter' --> 'facebook' --> ???

* 53% of customers for TMUK want to use web for first point of contact

* Content delta confuses customers - need unified content system / strategy. Content delta decreases first call resolution. TMUK uses Inqira for content management to present a unified set of information. Everyone has the same answer regardless of channel. Content ownership / authorship is distributed among the lanes in the company, not restricted to an authorship group.

* TMUK Integrates direct customer feedback into change efforts - feedback from the community on how they are doing.

* TMUK Forums have 3 moderators (FTE 8a - 6p). They remove personal attacks, spam, profanity. Encourages negative views of company. "Allows us to identify, react to negative perceptions". Takes problems into company (firmware foulup in this example) and changes processes for communication, execution.

* TMUK measures ROI on call deflection - shows 5% call deflection, relates that to the 3 FTE. Notes that the same level of call handling would take 22 call center reps.

* TMUK uses Inqira forums - because the content workflow / content management tools keep a consistent message.
http://support.t-mobile.co.uk/discussions/index?page=forums&board=TMO_TALKS

* Online 120 days. 1.4 million page views. Not fully launched. Working on customer recognition / reward scheme for customers that answer questions - how helpful they are.

* Beginning to use Twitter for customer service. Immediate use for customer support. Listen, respond, build oppty to sell.

* Trial with video content. Phase 1) TMUK generated. Phase 2) User Generated Video content. Unsure of how they'll do it or what form it will take.

* With single content management system, they have created 'single version of the truth'. Having consistent, clear, accurate and transparent answers, being accountable to the customers and reacting to customer concerns is their key to success.