I really like this idea as expressed by Jay Deragon at Social Media Today: The social web is creating a reversal in the process of managing customers. People learn from people and subsequently are avoiding influence from institutions rather the conversations of people, one to one to millions, have become the power of influence…. In all cases, these are people I have ‘met’ and conversed with over Twitter, at this blog, at Seesmic or through my affiliation with the Enterprise Irregulars…. In one instance, a chance viewing of a video about telemarketing drew a response from me that led to a Skype conversation (with video) that will be reprised for the benefit of others. Developing these kinds of relationship would be impossible on a day to day basis as I am physically disconnected here in Andalucia and some of these folk are on the other side of the world…. It starts with what I call the ‘separation of the desk’ where partners sit behind an antique desk while the customer is ushered in to sit on the other side. The partner holds the hallowed papers, only decipherable by someone who spent 3-4 years in training while the poor client is meant to soak up what is said as though the wisdom of God was being handed down…. So when Jay says: Managing and acting on the intelligence gained from conversations is a much more effective way of building stronger relations.
