Business Communication 101: Should your business be accessible via social media? Maybe not. I believe that some businesses should reevaluate their social media accessibility. Twitter and Facebook aren’t just forms of outward media. Sometimes, clients and customers have things to say in return.

I have a policy: if we mess up, call us on it publicly! All businesses should strive for this level of interpersonal accountability with their clients. In this video, I discuss a recent encounter where SICFIT is a client of a local service provider. We pay “Company X” for certain services and occasionally, they fail to deliver. So in an effort to gain their attention, I did what anyone in 2011 would do. I sent them a polite message via Twitter. The response? A call from the founder of that company and a conversation that wasn’t the most cordial. The founder of Company X didn’t ask “How can we fix it?” He asked, “Can you avoid saying anything that can be perceived negatively via Twitter?”

In 2011, the question has to be “How can we fix it?” and “Can you please hold us accountable until we are where we want to be as a company?” I believe that this is what customers and clients are looking for in business. And if you have this focus, not only will social media take care of itself. Your business will improve because of the new accessibility that people have to your brand and its customer service reputation. Boring topic? No. It’s my most important yet. 

Your business is like a bed. Focus on the frame, the mattress, the sheets, and the pillow before picking out the 1,000 thread count comforter. Without the fundamentals, shine means nothing. “Effective Media Strategy Made Kindergarten Simple”. This is the key to social media in this decade. #REALTALK