Waters (2010) emphasizes the need for positivity in an organization-public relationship. This means that the actions by either party should make the other party feel more content in the relationship. Positivity is key, not just for in-person relationships but also for on-line relationships. In fact, positivity and net protocol become even more crucial online since there is no face-to-face interaction. The lack of facial expressions, tone and human contact increase the likelihood of being misunderstood.
The first rule of net etiquette is to practice the Golden Rule: Treat others as you would like to be treated. Organizations and employees should seek to be well-behaved, friendly, polite and likeable online. The more positive an experience the organization makes for its consumers, the greater the likelihood of enhancing customer relationships and building trust for the entity. Waters (2010) states: "Professionalism should drive your conduct online." Indeed, organizational and employee online behavior is a reflection of corporate identity.
It is challenging to constantly practice good net protocol, especially when organizations are trying to balance the needs and desires of customers with organizational goals.
Have you had any memorable and positive experiences engaging with organizations online? How about any poor experiences that changed your perceptions of an organization? Do share...I'm listening.
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Great blog! I was just writing in my blog about how important it is for organizations to listen to their consumers. Recently, I have not had any positive experiences engaging with organizations online. I feel invisible and find that my comments often go unheard.
ReplyDeleteI have not had any good or bad experiences with organizations online. Although I am sometimes tempted to contact them about dissatisfaction due to poor service or faulty products, I do not because I feel uncomfortable complaining without knowing who is reading what I'm saying.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Kim. It is rather unfortunate that some organizations do not listen to customers and fail to provide a positive experience. I do feel that this is a short-sighted approach as in the long run, the organizations are at the losing end. Fortunately I have had some good online experiences with organizations, so there's some hope. : )
ReplyDeleteThat's a great point Eileen. I too would feel hesitant to share my comments if I didn't know, first, who is listening, and second, whether someone is indeed listening at all. Organizations should try to put a name and face to their respondents and aim for prompt replies to customer feedback. : )
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