Orange Envelopes | Small Business Optimized Marketing > By Design

A recent study released by Universal McCann reveals that we are immersed in the fourth wave of internet usage characterized by social networking participation. Their study notes that social networks are becoming the dominant platform for personal interaction and content creation and distribution.

The global internet audience now totals 625 million people, with almost 100 million of those users located in the United States. Nearly two-thirds of these users are active in one or more social networks.

What’s also revealed is how these users spend their time on the social networks. The most popular activity was watching video, followed by listening to streaming audio, blogging and connecting with friends.

What does this mean for you or your industry?

First of all, the place to connect with people – whether personally or professionally – is on one of the social networks. They’ve made their choice how they want to interact with others, and it’s not through email. For professionals, this typically means LinkedIn, though Facebook is being used more and more by professionals who have learned to adjust their privacy settings so as not to share overly personal information with other professional contacts.

These trends also mean that you need to generate content that is interesting, engaging and compelling enough to generate views and inspire your connections to share your content with their own network of friends and colleagues. The dominant format for this content: video. If you’re not creating videos to put on your site, your blog, your LinkedIn page, your Facebook Fan Page, then it’s time to start.

But don’t stop with video. Over 70% of social networkers also post photos to their pages. People want to see who they’re connecting with, and a thoughtfully designed series of photos can generate a powerful impression. For the professional, these can include images of your office, your personal workspace, your coworkers and even photos from events that you participate in. Sharing some personal visual insights will increase your familiarity, strengthening your connections with your networks.

Finally, if your company really wants to engage online, you need to create a community that’s worth joining. That means frequently updated, compelling content. The promise of interaction with other, like-minded people. A thoughtful, meaningful – even delightful – user experience. And the ability to listen to your community members and adjust your activities to satisfy their needs, not yours.

How would things change in your business if it were acquired by The Four Seasons? What would happen if new management came in and asked the question: How can we be the very best provider of (your product/service)?

Even without knowing the details of your business, I can proffer some guesses how Four Seasons management would change your operations.

1. Become obsessed with quality. Four Seasons CEO Isadore Sharp commented in a seminar at The Rotman School that his goal was to be the best wherever he established a hotel. He defined “best” as delivering the best service to his guests, so he had a specific business component to focus on. He did not define “best” as having the best designed hotels (the W chain excels at design), or 5-star rated restaurants or the finest artwork. Unless those elements were necessary to contribute to the overall service experience.
2. Deliver a memorable experience. Several years ago, on a trip to San Diego, I stayed at a Four Seasons property. When I gave the valet my car keys he asked me my name to put on the valet tag. As I headed into the hotel to check in, I was greeted by name by four employees. How they could know my name when I just gave it to the valet moments before, I don’t know. What I do know is that it was a distinctive and memorable example of personal service that I never forgot.
3. Focus on the personal. When I stay at a Four Seasons, I expect a beautiful room, a plush robe in the closet, a comfortable work area and marble in the bathroom. These environmental attributes are just the essential table stakes to compete in the arena of luxury hotels. What’s unexpected, and therefore memorable, are the small, personal touches that truly resonate with the individual guest. Employees who can greet you by name. The hotel in New York knowing that you like strawberries, but not grapes, because the staff in San Diego noticed the fruit you ate and the fruit you left and noted your preferences in their online system. The hotel in Chicago that plugs in a power strip next to your desk because they know you always plug in multiple devices and two outlets just aren’t enough. They pay attention to each guest and make sure that every stay conforms precisely to that guest’s needs and desires. My preferences are different from yours, so they will treat me differently from you. And we will both be delighted with our stay.
4. Empower your staff. The single biggest contributor to the Four Seasons’ success, according to Sharp, was his decision to empower his staff to make decisions on their own to resolve guest concerns or complaints. Problems were addressed instantly, without the need for time consuming approvals and management intervention. The guests were happier, the staff members took personal pride in delivering exceptional service, and the hotel extended their competitive advantage over their lumbering competitors.

I’m pretty confident that the Four Seasons has no interest in your business, but why not examine your business processes to determine how you can radically improve your customer interactions? Brainstorm with your staff to discover ways to deliver delightful and memorable personal experiences, empower your staff to make service decisions on their own and commit yourself to delivering a level of service that provides you with an unassailable competitive advantage.