re: Hotelling's Law and Why We Occasionally Root For The Underdog

Lane Becker — Wed, 28 May 2008 22:28:05 GMT

Hey, Anand. Thanks for the mention. We definitely have a strategy we're getting started on for bringing big companies aboard with Get Satisfaction, because while we currently provide a lot of value for the companies and organizations already using us, our model is a network model and so the more participation from companies and customers the more valuable the space becomes for everybody.

The trend in customer communication (which used to be called "customer support" or "customer service" but is now so much more than that) of control of the conversation moving from inside large organizations to outside and into the hands of their customers is undeniable and unstoppable. Given that, at Get Satisfaction our goal is twofold: 1) bring companies aboard as soon as they accept this inevitability and 2) show them how much more effective and efficient their company can become when they *embrace* real customer communication instead of keeping their customers at arm's length.

Companies that embrace Get Satisfaction see both reduced customer support costs, from less need to answered repetitive support inquiries one by one via email since they're now public and searchable, *and also* increased customer retention and satisfaction, because customers stick around longer when they know that someone is listening (and the opposite is also true, as your example above makes clear.)

Reduced costs, improved loyalty and retention! It's like magic. Magic, I say!

Of course, as with building any business, it will take a little while, but let's check back in 12-18 months from now and see how we're doing. I'm confident with this trend at our backs we can do it.

(Though you know, speaking of big companies climbing aboard... if somebody from Microsoft wants to give me a call to hop on the Get Satisfaction train, I'm at 415-867-1708. :)