Clients in control

Recently I've ranted about how professional service firms need to do more to embrace the strategies and tactics of social media, with its underpinning of client participation.  In one blog post, I urged professional companies to start getting comfortable with what I called "reality marketing," to the point that they embrace experience-like web cam views of them at work. 

Of course, I realize many professional service firms wouldn't touch this notion with a 40 ft. pole, even though it's a great idea!  But I can't let go of the idea that professional firms need to shift their marketing programs to embrace the very real possibilities of clients controlling their message. 

There are some excellent -- and painful -- examples of how this is happening already.  For example, a Comcast customer (and blogger, of course) recently videotaped a technician who took a nap on his couch during a service call.  He posted it on his blog, and from there it has spread like wildfire, shooting huge holes in Comcast's "It's Comcastic!" campaign.  Other examples are Ben McConnell's online diss of American Express, and the way mainstream media picked up a disgruntled customer's recorded complaints about trying to cancel his AOL service. 

Professional service firms should be lauded for their strides to capably manage their client relationships.  Marketers should be lauded for their strides to embrace social media.  But there is an intersection somewhere in between these two efforts that I fear may leave some firms vulnerable. 

I believe it will be the marketers who can create a compelling case for preparing for the inevitability of something like this.  If you need a quick source for creating just such a case, take a look at Jackie Huba's fantastic post, "The five steps of how a story spreads."