Jul
14th

Oneupweb : HTC Buys PPC Ads To Capitalize On iPhone 4G Antenna Problems

Posted by Mike on July 14, 2010 at 9:22 am

Apple has been under fire recently because of problems with their hot selling iPhone 4G. Due to an antenna design flaw (you may disagree with me, but I call it like I see it), signal strength will decline depending on how you hold the phone. The iPhone 4G’s signal loss has been severe enough to make many users complain about dropped or choppy calls.

The PR machine deep inside Apple’s Cupertino, California, headquarters was quick to deny the existence of any problems with the antenna, but the flood of reports of shoddy reception were too much to ignore. Steve Jobs eventually responded directly to a customer’s emailed complaint and suggested a possible fix: “Just avoid holding it in that way.”

Someone has even put together a photo gallery of images taken from Apple’s own marketing materials showing numerous examples of the phone being “held wrong”.

Rival smartphone manufacturer, HTC, has decided to take advantage of the flood of search traffic related to iPhone 4G problems by placing PPC ads in Google. Below are a few examples of search queries that were seen triggering HTC ads:

iphone dropped calls

iphone problems

iphone reception

iphone antenna

And now, take a look at the ads that resulted from these search terms:

These ads are a great example of how paid advertising can be used to take advantage of current events or hot topics that may be experiencing a flood of traffic. Apple’s problems may become HTC’s windfall if customers continue to be sick of problems with their new 4G phones. Unhappy iPhone 4G users will begin to look for alternative phones and they will find these well targeted ads by HTC. After seeing the following ad, it appears that HTC isn’t the only company looking to profit from Apple’s misfortune:

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May
21st

Oneupweb : Machine Sarcasm May Help E-Commerce Reviews

Posted by Nick on May 21, 2010 at 9:08 am

A machine algorithm that can detect sarcasm? I know what you’re thinking…”That’s the most useful thing I have ever heard of!” (yuk, yuk, yuk). Believe it or not, it’s true. In a recent article, Popular Science reported that an Israeli research team has developed just such an algorithm that performs with 77% accuracy.

Besides bringing us one step closer to creating machines that will one day conquer and replace humanity, jokes and all, is such an algorithm really all that practical?

It could be.

It’s a good idea and common practice for many e-commerce sites to respond to any negative customer reviews they receive in order to keep individuals satisfied with their products or services. Not only does this give businesses a chance to rectify any issues their customers may have encountered, but it also allows people to see the quality of customer service and care provided. However, issues can arise for larger e-commerce sites. An e-commerce site that consists of many products and receives a great number of reviews may not always be able to respond to negative comments in a timely manner.

If starred reviews are part of your site’s review process, you might be able to just sort out the negative reviews in an easy manner, but this isn’t always fool-proof. Some customers have a tendency to pass right by the starring process and go straight for the comments. This is where the sarcasm algorithm could potentially come into play in helping you identify reviews that are less than glowing.

I’m not saying using such an algorithm would be the end all to sorting out the necessary reviews to respond to, but it could be part of the solution. The algorithm could be integrated with review systems and run as a secondary detection process, allowing sites to find sarcastic reviews and respond appropriately if need be.

Trust me. I’m not trying to take all the fun out of online product reviews. I love a good Three Wolf t-shirt review just as much as the next guy, but think of how much this sarcasm algorithm could help businesses with engaging customers; businesses are faced with engaging people before, during and after the purchase process.

Let me know your thoughts on this new algorithm. And although it’s tempting…please leave the sarcasm out of your comments on this one.

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Feb
1st

The New Agency Selection Model: Listening

Posted by Luke on February 1, 2010 at 10:12 am

In both our personal and professional lives, it’s a well known fact that humans think faster than they listen. Rather than listen, we’re more concerned with pulling together a response or answer which often comes at the expense of the key point or message.

As a digital marketer, 99.9 percent of communication with clients is done through either email or phone. This leaves no room to pick up on body language, hand gestures or other nonverbal cues. As a result, it’s imperative that we constantly confirm and validate the words of our clients.

With an arsenal including web design, SEO, PPC, app development, social media and more, we have quite a few creative and technical minds within the Oneupweb office. However, experience and creativity go out the window if there’s a listening breakdown during the early stages of a client needs assessment. When you combine strong listening skills with creativity and experience, you lay the foundation to not only deliver a bull’s-eye proposal, but to also exceed expectations and goals.

At Oneupweb, we pride ourselves on being strong listeners with integrated solutions. Based on what we learn about your company, we’re not afraid to tell you that what you’re looking for may not be the best solution. You may be looking at one channel and we may propose three. And you can bet that one of those channels will be social media.

Social media provides one of the ultimate channels to listen to your customers—like an online focus group. We’re going to listen to you and then we’re going to help you listen to your clients. As fundamental as listening may be, it’s probably the weakest skill across any position within an organization.

When it comes to decisions based on price alone, you get what you pay for. Try to find that agency that makes you say, “Wow, they were really listening.”

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Dec
31st

Service, Please

Posted by Angie Reed on December 31, 2009 at 10:22 am

There’s nothing more frustrating than being put on hold by a customer service representative, only to never be retrieved. Or how about when you’re searching all over a store for a sales associate, and when you finally locate him/her, you’re greeted by a dumbfounded mumble, “This isn’t my department.” (Like you’re expected to know that already or something?) And I’m sure everyone has experienced the customer service rep (in my case, the cable guy) who says he’ll be at your house sometime between noon and 5pm, and then never shows. And the worst part about it—receiving the, “We’re sorry we missed you!” sticker the next day.

I ask myself time and time again why companies think this type of customer service (or lack thereof) is acceptable? And I often wonder if perhaps 2010 will be any different than the last in terms of quality customer care.

Personally, I’m sick of the lousy service that seems to be the standard today. And now that the holidays are over, I’m predicting that any decent customer care being doled out is likely to vanish as quickly as Christmas came and went. I have rarely returned to a business after having experienced poor customer service—I guess I’m not one for second chances. And I definitely don’t mind venting about that experience with friends, family, coworkers or on social media sites. My weapon of choice—Facebook.

But are companies really willing to lose billions because of substandard customer service? A recent study by Greenfield Online, “The Cost of Poor Customer Service: The Economic Impact of the Customer Experience and Engagement”, found that a total of $338.5 billion in revenue was lost overall per year. So to answer my question, I guess they are.

With many businesses experiencing slumping sales, it doesn’t seem like the right time to be slacking on service. Saving money wherever possible will certainly help the bottom line—but perhaps businesses should consider alternative ways of doing this before sacrificing the great customer service reps answering the phones. (Like maybe using a less expensive brand of toilet paper?) Okay, okay—but you get the point.

Or another smart move might be browsing through the services offered at Oneupweb—in particular, online reputation management. Because people are talking about your brand, and whether it’s good or bad, your business should really know what’s being said about it.

I hope that 2010 will be remembered as the year that customer service turned itself around—but regardless, it pays to have the pros on your side when it comes to monitoring what’s being said about your brand online. And one thing’s for certain, at Oneupweb we’re pros at what we do. And best of all, we throw in the exceptional customer service at no charge.

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Oct
5th

Backin' It Up With Customer Service and Care

Posted by Teal on October 5, 2006 at 4:33 pm

Throughout my life, whether in college or in my professional career, I have always worked with clients. I enjoy speaking with people who are interested in what my company or institution can offer them and usually, by the time they get to me, they are already on board and are looking for answers and assistance.

Whether lifeguarding, waitressing, working at an RV park in Fairbanks, Alaska, a JCrew store, or now, as a SEO project manager, I have always enjoyed working with people as they choose their dinner, business suit, or keywords for a SEO project.

As a lifelong customer care junkie, I have always felt it important to represent my company to the best of my ability and create strong relationships with my clients. I also feel personally responsible for these relationships and in addition to making a good impression for my employer, I also want to create business relationships that are open, honest, and professional.

Because I have strong feelings about customer care and the importance of taking care of customers and clients, even after they have handed their money over, I felt compelled to write my post about backing up products and services with customer care.

This urge was also spurred a few weeks ago when speaking with my best friend about the trouble she was having getting her iPod replaced/properly fixed. See my friend is a dedicated runner and without her iPod to help her through the miles, she just isn’t a happy girl.

I asked Amy what happened when she called Apple and, long story short, she was put on hold for close to a half an hour, finally spoke to a representative, and was sent a replacement iPod… that was also partially broken (one of the earpieces doesn’t work). She tried calling them again and after sitting on hold for close to 30 minutes again, hung up. Amy isn’t asking for a better product than she normally had, or even a brand new one. She just wants a product that works – like the one she bought less than a year ago.

She is discouraged now and frankly, I believe that Apple lost a customer. This is what I mean by “backin’ it up with customer service”. Even with companies who sell nice, useful, enjoyable, fun, etc. products, the whole deal can be blown with poor customer care… or hours and hours of listening to The Black Eyed Peas through your right ear only.

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