Making plans to attend a conference in Portland, I was frustrated by a hotel website that told me they had “cardio equipment” but not WHAT type of equipment. (I cycle and wanted to know if they had an exercise bike.)

I tend not to put out complaining tweets because that's not really what I'm like most of the time, but couldn't refrain from saying something:

“Folks from Portland: I'm staying @ Hilton next wk for @CASE8. Site lists “cardio equip” in fitness rm. Bike? treadmill? elliptical?”

(I had already started following people from Portland in higher ed communications so I knew I had some reciprocal followers to tap into with the question.)

I got a quick response from @Joshua_Roberts of the Portland Hilton, who must have been monitoring since I didn't use the account name @HiltonPortland. He sent me the link (bad web design–pix were accessed via a teeny-tiny Tour/camera icon I overlooked on the home page, and weren't linked on the detail Services/Amenities page where I expected to find them).

I thanked him publicly right away. The relationship we established came in handy once I was at the conference; I had problems with wifi access and then was unhappy to find out they would CHARGE for access to said cardio equipment (depends on which tower you stay in).

He took care of everything, and I don't think I would have gotten the same care had I just marched up to the front desk to complain about their policies. (Sorry, Hilton.) When I say something on Twitter I'm saying it in a public, searchable format–I think that's the key.

In the “karma category” of Twitter responsiveness, I might add that I told Joshua if he ever wants to move to Spokane I'll connect him with people in the hospitality industry here because I was so impressed with his customer service and use of social media use. Good customer service doesn't just pay the company, it pays the customer service person….

I can't stress enough the importance of Google Alerts in finding mentions of the campus for which I work. People aren't just posting questions on Twitter, obviously–they're off on city-data.com and other spaces asking whether they should pursue a degree on our campus, for example. And on Twitter they're not necessarily using our account name so you can't rely on your @ message box.

@BarbChamberlain
Director of Communications and Public Affairs
Washington State University Spokane
http://www.spokane.wsu.edu
@WSUSpokane

I believe that more Companies will see the power of excellent customer service and those are the companies I will not only tweet about but also use as examples when I am teaching and coaching my clients and in my blog,

So companies beware, do you want to be known as proactive or “going out of business” in this new economic paradigm

Michele Price’s last blog post..Success For All Tapping 2009-Recording

I believe that more Companies will see the power of excellent customer service and those are the companies I will not only tweet about but also use as examples when I am teaching and coaching my clients and in my blog,

So companies beware, do you want to be known as proactive or “going out of business” in this new economic paradigm

Michele Price’s last blog post..Success For All Tapping 2009-Recording

I believe that more Companies will see the power of excellent customer service and those are the companies I will not only tweet about but also use as examples when I am teaching and coaching my clients and in my blog,

So companies beware, do you want to be known as proactive or “going out of business” in this new economic paradigm

Michele Price’s last blog post..Success For All Tapping 2009-Recording

Within minutes I heard from @JottNetworks, “@jhipkin I do! What can I help you with?”

I’m pretty sure they weren’t following me so they must have had their search on. Back and forth a couple of times and I had the contact I needed.

It will be interesting to follow the acceptance of social media in general and Twitter in particular. Will it penetrate the main stream? We will see.

Within minutes I heard from @JottNetworks, “@jhipkin I do! What can I help you with?”

I’m pretty sure they weren’t following me so they must have had their search on. Back and forth a couple of times and I had the contact I needed.

It will be interesting to follow the acceptance of social media in general and Twitter in particular. Will it penetrate the main stream? We will see.