Just checked out the Blackberry OS due out in July. I’ve been waiting on a lot of it’s features such as the Webkit browser. It looks excellent – I don’t think it’s ground breaking but it certainly keeps the Blackberry phones in check with Apple, Windows Mobile and Android platforms.
As an avid Blackberry fan I can’t wait to get it though! I hope it comes out for my phone….
Ahhh I’ve found the app for my Blackberry and it’s pretty damn good. Posting this now from the app. There are so many naff ones out there it’s nice to find a good solid, well made app. Even better when they’re free!!
For those who don’t know, I support Manchester United – I have done since I can remember. (…and no I’ve never lived in Manchester). This season has got to be the most exciting that I can remember. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if this goes to the last day of the season and the we won’t find out whether it’s Chelsea or United that win it.
But with Chelsea (scum) 1 point in the lead as I write this it’s going to make the next few weekends very exciting!
However it’s also exciting for the teams down the bottom as there are still quite a few teams who are far from being in the clear.
Who do you think will win the league this year? Who do you think will go down?!
I’m sure almost everybody has a store that they will never go back to, or a brand they just don’t like. You know: when somebody says “I’ll never shop at <insert some store> again because they <insert bad experience here>” or “I hate Burberry, it’s for chavs and crap rappers”.
Sometimes the reasons can be completely petty, like these ones from me:
Samsung: Unfortunately I quite like their products. I’m a fan of products from Korea (I drive a Hyundai Coupe). However they’re the main sponsor for Chelsea football club and I support Man Utd. Therefore I have put a mental ban on myself buying Samsung products!
Apple: Firstly, I have to explain that I used to be massive fan and a user of Apple computers. My school was an Apple school, and my department at Uni was a Mac department. I went off them when they started becoming far too poncy and started putting ‘cool’ before quality.
They’ve got some things very right though – I can’t knock the usability of their products and I admire the way they’re strict about 3rd party apps.
I’m also mildly bitter about the fact that most App builders seem to bring out the iPhone app before any other platform…<grrr>
Dyson: I just don’t think their vacuum cleaners are as good as people make out! It annoyed me when they started to market their products as having “No loss of suction” – what exactly do they mean by that? My Vax which I’ve used for 6 years is as good as the day I got it, whilst I know of numerous people who have bought and replaced their Dysons in this time. For some reason they have a reputation of making good products. Although I hear they’ve sorted their manufacturing issues, I still won’t be buying a Dyson anytime soon…
Are there any brands that you refuse to buy? Or any stores you choose not to buy from?
One of the most common questions at the moment is how to make use of social networking. Sometimes I cannot understand why companies are not already making use of social networks…
It was probably about a decade ago when companies were rushing to get an online presence, an email address, an ‘E-commerce’ shop. In those years their customers have become regular web savvy, computer literate, with access to high speed internet at home, at work and on their mobiles.
It goes without saying that those customers are also using social networking tools to discuss products and services on a regular basis. Companies need to realise that they need to start engaging with their clients online in the same way they would do face to face, on the telephone or through direct mail blasts – they need to embrace this method of communication.
A simple Google search is likely to show comments whether positive or negative that should be addressed. It could even be a comment about a competitor. But these comments come from real people, just like the ones who could walk through a shop door onto the shop floor and sometimes they need customer support.
The corporates are already on top of this, but it’s the SMEs that seem to be really slow on the uptake. It’s these corporates that are proving that engaging with your customers online can make a long term positive impact on the image and perception of the company in the public eye.
So the most common question is “how can I make Social Networks work for me”?
The answer is to simply start using them! Create a Facebook page, start a Linked In profile, read the forums and post on Twitter – take the time to do it daily, in the same way that you would your daily email. Communicate and engage with your customers or potential customers and your efforts will be rewarded in the long run…
Are you a using social networks? Have you read positive or negative things about your company online? Did you engage them or simply ignore them?
