John Moore - HP using social support communities to co-create value

John Moore spends a lot of time studying how companies implement ’social CRM’. Currently CTO of consulting firm Swimfish, and an avid blogger (johnfmoore.wordpress.com), John has spent a lot of years as a senior engineer for SaaS apps. Last week John spoke at ParaFest and shared some of his observations about how some ‘name brand’ companies are approaching social support communities.  Take HP. With 2.5 million customers visiting the site every month and 150,000 registered users in the community, John says Hewlett Packard realized early on they needed to treat social support communities in a truly strategic fashion.  They made a solid business case as to how the community would work, the ROI expected, and got very detailed with their plan to bring people into the community. They defined internal experts and trained them on how to interact within the community, even bringing in Microsoft experts as well. Essentially, they use the community to “co-create value”, encouraging a steady stream of feedback from customers – feature requests, bugs noted, you name it.  The head of the support community reviews feature requests weekly, feeding them directly into the product development pipeline.  From there, they’re tied closely to the formal product development process.  According to John, they key is that HP makes it very visible how ideas are being considered, so customers know they are truly helping to ‘co-create’ the products HP releases. And for the company, HP sees big payoffs in several ways. People come back to the community regularly, with a steady increase in registered users, an increase in ideas generated, and an overall reduction in customer support calls. A big caveat John points out: don’t expect to see a reduction in your support team size in rolling out this approach. In fact, you may even see an upfront increase in cost. But the extra spend will reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction in the long run, well worth the investment. John had several other really interesting case studies and great tips on deploying social support communities we’ll cover in future posts.

ParaFest Panel: Support as a Differentiator - Bringing Customers to the Forefront

This morning ParaFest ‘10 started off with a strong line-up of customer panelists weighing in on everything from how to best integrate Chat into your support mix to establishing a “customer happiness index.”

Panelists Tammy Woodruff (Coremetrics, and one of this year’s Legend Maker award winners), Scott Montgomery (e-MDs), Doug Young, (finalsite), Hugh Ujhazy (Hitachi Data System) and Jon Landau (Huddle.net) offered plenty of practical advice and predictions.

As far as making customer support a competitive differentiator, Doug Young probably said it best: “In our business there are lots of lower-priced options, but our support is a big selling point and justifies our price point. For us, customer support is not a cost, but a real part of the product.”

The session wrapped up with each panelist asked to give just one parting piece of advice for fellow Paraturians. Some good stuff we’ll share in a future post.

Keynoter Doug Lipp at ParaFest Says Customer Service is no Magic Act

Doug Lipp, author and internationally-acclaimed expert  on leadership, customer service and change management, just completed his keynote at ParaFest ’10 this evening.

Formerly the Head of Training at Disney’s Corporate Headquarters, Doug provided the famous Disney University “Traditions” program and developed leadership courses for Disney executives.

Doug shared a lot of great stories about the good, bad and the ugly during his Disney tenure. A lot of it has to do with sustaining balance. According to Doug, every successful team is able to strike the right balance between the ‘dreamers’ and the ‘do-ers, those who can look beyond the here and now, balanced by those with a firm grip on the current state of affairs.  Lose one or the other, and the organization will suffer.

More on Doug’s insights later.

Parature CEO Opens ParaFest '10 with General Session Welcome Address

Parature CEO, Tim Davenport delivered the conference welcome address during general session of ParaFest ‘10, the company’s sixth and largest annual users’ conference. ParaFest ‘10 began Tuesday, May 4 and will continue through Thursday, May 6, 2010 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. This customer focused conference is enabling Parature users from around the world to gain invaluable knowledge from industry experts and thought leaders, while networking with colleagues and peers.

Mr. Davenport’s dynamic and compelling welcome address began with highlights of Parature success in 2009, then continued to set the stage for 2010 and what to expect from this year’s conference. Specifically, he spoke to the value of social media channels as they relate to the customer experience and with it, the unveiling of Parature for Facebook™.
Mr. Davenport stated, “We are delighted to have brought our customers, partners, employees and other industry experts back together in Las Vegas for ParaFest ‘10, providing a unique opportunity to share some of the most thought provoking discussions around customer service and the customer experience today, learning how to further leverage your investment in Parature products and services, and a preview of Parature’s vision for the year ahead.” Tim further commented on Parature’s commitment to the success of its customers and dedication to delivering the reliable and innovative technology that the industry and their customers expect, all at an affordable price.”

ParaFest ‘10 features hands-on training sessions led by the Parature Professional Services team and a diverse mix of customer experience, product and best practices sessions led by Parature customers as well as other industry experts. Attendees have a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, share industry insights and trends, and network with their peers as well as Parature executives and staff. The popular ParaFest Zone is available for participants to meet with Parature experts and partners, experience new product features and learn tips and techniques on how to further strengthen their investment in Parature Customer Service™ software.

Parature for Facebook

The 6^th Annual ParaFest kicked off at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas this afternoon with a record-setting 170-plus in attendance. CEO Tim Davenport set the stage for the event and a big announcement, describing Parature’s commitment to “extending the customer support perimeter” in this era of social media.  It came through loud and clear.  The new mantra for Parature is “be where your customers are.” And clearly social media is redefining where our customers are.

Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Duke Chung then introduced the new offering that “will revolutionize the way you’ll provide support in Facebook.”  Parature for Facebook enables customers to be where their customers are (400 million of them), engage in conversation and deliver quality support right from your company’s Facebook fan page. Parature is first in the industry to bring this functionality to the market. Watch video of the announcement.

Parature customers can monitor Facebook wall conversations, posts and comments in real time and create a new ticket for any post in just one click.

Announcement of Parature for Facebook - See our photo gallery

“Customer service is the new marketing,” said Duke. Perhaps one of the coolest features is how it enables customers to share positive experiences about their support experience. A new ‘Share your Service Experience’ feature lets the user share the service experience and ticket with their friends.

In the first live demo Alexie Harper, who runs the social media strategy for Rosetta Stone, participated with Parature in the first live demo. “We’re not only part of the conversation, but we can take a more active role and ensure our customers questions get answered by the right people inside our organization.” Watch video of the live demonstration.

Parature for Facebook key features include:

Real-time Facebook Wall Monitoring for Quick Customer Response
Via the ‘Facebook Wall Monitor’ all relevant posts and comments containing chosen keywords will be read from the wall and sent to the Parature Service Desk as a ticket, enabling service representatives to easily monitor and respond to otherwise unmanageable wall posts and comments without ever leaving their Parature software.

Knowledgebase Search Right from Facebook The ‘Find an Answer’ feature enables customers visiting a fan page to enter a search term and receive the relevant answer directly from the vendor’s knowledgebase without ever leaving Facebook. Additionally, the customer can use the ‘Ask a Question’ feature for resolution if their question wasn’t answered via the aforementioned method.

Live Chat Direct from a Fan Page
A customer visiting a fan page can ‘Chat with an Agent’ to discuss a service problem, issue, or to ask a question directly from Facebook. The representative will respond to the Facebook user via Parature Chat™.

Sharing a Customer Service Experience
Using the ‘Share Your Service Experience’ feature, a customer who uses the support functionality within Facebook can share their service experience and ticket with their friends. They can also post the result of the interaction to an organization’s wall to share answers and solutions.

Availability is set for next month. You’ll be hearing a lot more about Parature for Facebook, stay tuned.

Early Registration Rate - $550 until 1/31/10

We invite you to visit the conference website to view the agenda for this year’s engaging program. ParaFest ‘10 will feature hands-on training, a diverse mix of customer service & support best practices sessions, the ParaFest Zone for opportunities to meet with the Professional Services team and our sponsors, special events and more!

Being held at the hip, rock-n-roll Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas ParaFest ‘10 has something to offer every attendee.

• Hear from the former head of training at Disney University on the Magic of Exceptional Service
• Discover first-hand the latest best practices and industry trends for improving the customer experience from industry experts
• Network with service and support industry peers, as well as Parature team members to learn how to best leverage your software investment
• Learn more about Parature’s vision and strategy
• Receive free Parature Customer Service™ software training

Register for ParaFest ‘10 by January 31, 2010 to receive the $200 discount off of the regular rate.

Doug Lipp - Keynote Speaker - ParaFest '10

Doug Lipp, respected author and speaker on international leadership, customer service and change management will be the keynote speaker at ParaFest ’10, our company’s sixth annual users’ conference. ParaFest ’10 will be held May 4-6, 2010 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. This customer focused conference will allow Parature users from across the world to gain valuable knowledge from industry experts and thought leaders, while networking with colleagues and peers.

Mr. Lipp has over thirty years of experience working from the front lines to the board rooms of many American, Asian, European and Latin American multinational corporations. He motivates and challenges audiences around the globe to examine their respective management styles and business strategies, then determines the effectiveness of each as seen from a variety of customer and cultural perspectives. Mr. Lipp is the author of numerous articles and seven books on leadership, customer service and international business, including his two most popular: “The Changing Face of Today’s Customer: How to Attract and Retain a Diverse Customer and Employee Base” which addresses how businesses can thrive in this era of cultural diversity and global competitiveness, and “Even Monkeys Fall from Trees: The Art and Science of Outstanding Customer Service” which focuses on a balanced approach to service, leadership and teamwork. At the Walt Disney Company, Mr. Lipp was the head of the training department at the world-renowned Disney University and was also on the start-up team for the highly successful Tokyo Disneyland in Japan.

The topic for ParaFest ’10 “The Magic of Exceptional Service, Leadership & Teamwork - Lead the Way: Your Employees and Customers Will Follow” will take an interactive approach to examining the traits and approaches of outstanding leaders and teams and will include quick exercises to help participants assess their strengths and areas for improvement.

“We are excited to have such a seasoned professional and dynamic individual as Mr. Lipp to be the keynote speaker at ParaFest’10,” said Parature CEO, Tim Davenport. “His experience at such renowned organizations like the Walt Disney Company and as a consultant with world-class organizations has given him first-hand knowledge that will be an invaluable asset to the customers, partners, employees and other industry experts that will attend this preeminent event.”

ParaFest ’10 will feature hands-on training sessions led by the Parature Professional Services team and a diverse mix of customer service and support best practices sessions led by Parature customers as well as other industry experts. Attendees will have a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, share industry insights and trends, and network with their peers as well as Parature executives and staff. The popular ParaFest Zone will be available for participants to meet with Parature experts and partners, experience new product features and learn tips and techniques on how to further strengthen their investment in Parature Customer Service™ software.

Attendees registering for ParaFest ’10 by January 31, 2010 will receive a $200 discount off of the regular rate. Please visit the ParaFest website for conference registration and additional information.

About ParaFest

ParaFest™ has become a popular, “sold-out” event for Parature customers from every corner of the world and every industry to come together to share ideas and learn how to further strengthen their Parature investment.

Parature executives, along with customer service and product experts on the front lines, international authorities and authors share insights and trends, and discuss best practices and emerging issues.

For more information, visit www.parafest.com or follow @Parature on Twitter.

ParaFest '10 - Call for Speakers

Speaking at ParaFest ‘10, being held at the hip, rock-n-roll Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, is a great way of sharing your passion and expertise with industry peers and colleagues. Parature is seeking customer service experts and industry thought leaders who want to share their Parature Customer Service™ software and industry knowledge with users attending the conference. All session speakers will be entitled to one (1) complimentary conference registration OR one (1) night complimentary guest room.

Sessions

ParaFest ‘10 will feature both industry and product specific sessions. We invite presenters to submit proposals on Best Practices in Customer Service & Support Using Parature Customer Service™ Software.

Sessions will be 50 minutes, to include presentation time and a question and answer period. We are accepting session proposals online and you may submit more than one proposal. The submission deadline is Friday, January 15, 2010.

For users not interested in a speaking opportunity, we welcome your ideas for topics you would like to see presented at ParaFest ‘10.

ParaFest '10 - May 4-6, 2010 - Las Vegas

We announced today that our sixth annual users’ conference, ParaFest ’10 will be held May 4 - 6, 2010 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. This customer focused conference will allow Parature users from around the world to gain invaluable knowledge from industry experts and thought leaders, while networking with colleagues and peers.

ParaFest ’10 will feature hands-on training sessions led by the Parature Professional Services team and a diverse mix of customer service and support best practices sessions led by Parature customers as well as other industry experts. Attendees will have a unique opportunity to exchange ideas, share industry insights and trends, and network with their peers as well as Parature executives and staff. The popular ParaFest Zone will be available for participants to meet with Parature experts and partners, experience new product features and learn tips and techniques on how to further strengthen their investment in Parature Customer Service™ software.

“We are delighted to be bringing our customers, partners, employees and other industry experts back together in Las Vegas for ParaFest ‘10,” said Parature Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, Duke Chung. “ParaFest provides our customers with the opportunity to share some of the most thought provoking discussions around customer service and the customer experience today and is just another example of how Parature continues to deliver the compelling technology and leadership that the industry and our customers have come to expect from us.”

Parature is seeking customer service experts and thought leaders who want to share their Parature Customer Service software and industry knowledge with users attending the conference. Session proposals are being accepted online until January 15, 2010.

Attendees registering for ParaFest ’10 by January 31, 2010 will receive a $200 discount off of the regular rate. Please visit the ParaFest website for conference registration and additional information.