To many people, Web 2.0 and social media are about open, honest and transparent information and relationships. Without complete openness and transparency, people and their businesses can be distrusted by the internet’s masses. Yet some businesses (and social media “pros”) are not being completely open and honest. This is a mistake that could hurt them tremendously.
Would you rather deal with @Comcast or @ComcastBill? I know I would always rather know the name of the person that I’m dealing with – how about you?
After a recent experience, I am going to start demanding it!
Not too long ago, a local company had contacted me about something I had written online and wanted to meet. I was very happy to hear from them and schedule a meeting. When I showed up on the designated day at the promised time, neither of the people I was supposed to be meeting were available. It was like the meeting had never even been scheduled. After waiting 15 minutes, I finally started to leave before an unfortunate underling was forced to wave me down before I exited the parking lot. The person was very apologetic, but she had no idea what the meeting was supposed to be about at all.
It turns out that somehow this meeting was arranged by this company’s “social media consultants” who “do” their social media on sites like Facebook and Twitter. It turns out that I know, like and thought I was friends with these consultants – but how could they be so deceitful?
The end result was time wasted for both of us. I’m sure she had better things to do with her time and I sure could of been out selling some real estate rather than trying to give them help they obviously didn’t want.
The bottom line on this for me is that I will no longer deal with, “like” companies or organizations online unless I know exactly WHO I am dealing with.
What is YOUR policy? Does your business or organization hide behind a DBA when using social media or are you about openness and transparency? Why do you choose to take that direction?
Are you really making all those posts across the social media platforms? Or are you having an assistant doing it? If an assistant is making the posts, do you give them credit for them – or take the credit for yourself? (Don’t you think your customers and potential customers deserve to kn0w?). Just how honest do you need to be online ….?