Question

Topic: Other

Online Forums Point Of Discussion Is You, What 2 Do?

Posted by Anonymous on 9/8/2008 at 6:11 PM ET 125 Points
My department provides career services to post secondary students. I randomly decided to google my organization to see what I might find.

I came across a discussion with pro's and con's towards us that occured approximately two months ago. One comment refered to our services as generally basic - get it anywhere services. The other defends the service - he/she may have been an student employee previously. One of the mars against our service was how we posted jobs for students and the type of jobs that we can find. We now have our own online database that is better than our previous methodology and we are currently launching.

Should I respond to the posts after all these months and mention our new service launch?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted on 9/8/2008 at 7:24 PM Accepted
    With just the information you have provided, there doesn't seem to be any reason not to respond. It's a chance to publicize the improvement and acknowledge that "we're listening." You might also consider inviting additional comments or questions about the new/current service.
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 9/8/2008 at 8:51 PM Accepted
    What are you afraid of-- being silly?

    You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. So do it. If they have arrangements. then they do. If one doesn't , your value statement still stands-- and they move from suspect to prospect/. Go for it
  • Posted by Mikee on 9/8/2008 at 11:40 PM Accepted
    I would post.

    Be careful to not be defense and just be informative. I use technocrati.com to search for blog entries about topics related to my company and will often times post comments. Google Alerts is another tool that can notify you when topics arise.

    Mike
  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 9/8/2008 at 11:46 PM Accepted
    Post, but do so in a 100% factual tone... There is no room for subjective thought. These will be picked apart by the masses.
  • Posted by SRyan ;] on 9/9/2008 at 10:27 AM Accepted
    Oh my goodness, yes, absolutely, you MUST respond. Yes, with facts, but also in a friendly tone -- "It's great to know what you're thinking about our services... I thought I'd let you all in on some changes we've been implementing lately." Don't sign it anonymously, either. Make sure you clearly identify who you are and your role in your organization.

    It's important to do this, not just because you're communicating back to the participants on that forum. It's the search engines! You said yourself you found the conversation via Google, right? So will other people. Your response will become part of the legacy of the Web itself. Leave a positive footprint. ;]
  • Posted by CarolBlaha on 9/9/2008 at 11:10 AM Accepted
    I did a recent business plan and I used this response from Home Depot in it. Look at the tone of their CEO-- he's not defensive, he did a very good job. https://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/HomeDepotCEOWeLetYouD...
  • Posted by babbsela on 9/9/2008 at 12:56 PM Accepted
    Absolutely yes, you should respond to all of them. Do so in a way that shows you listened to what they had to say and responded with a new solution to meet their needs. This is a great way to turn the negative feedback into a positive for you.
  • Posted by Mikee on 9/9/2008 at 4:02 PM Accepted
    Facebook is a fine place to do this. I do not think the venue is a big deal. Somebody had a great point about making sure that you are upfront. Do not be anonymous. I think that it shows great initiative that you are listening and responding.

    Mike
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