VA steering wrong course in social media

The advent of social media revolutionized how organizations and pubic personalities interacted with their publics, from customers to fans to employees. It provided a platform not only for companies to market and advertise their product, but also to tap into the pulse of the consumers’ minds, being able to directly engage in dialogue and allow public feedback to be shared.

This would help organizations, no matter how large or small, to gauge the success of their business models and either continue the course or re-engage to improve quality, customer service and public image. What social media, or Web 2.0, was not intended for, was to become an electronic bulletin board.

A perfect example is the Department of Veterans Affairs and the recent debacle regarding late, or even unprocessed claims for the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

The VA experienced an unprecedented amount of enrollment claims and applications for the Spring 2012 semester, with some reported numbers as high as 800,000. With shortened staff, limited access to shared information between regional offices and call centers, and reduced overtime spending, the VA could not process the claims and payments in a timely fashion. Many veteran students found themselves without the monthly housing allowance stipend many of them use to provide the basic tenets of survival, such as food and housing. Some veterans reported threats of eviction and disenrollment by their landlords and colleges.

The VA waited weeks until issuing a cookie-cutter public statement on how they are attempting to rectify “isolated” incidents. They touted an impressive statistic on processing 90 percent of all claims for students enrolled in the Spring 2012 semester. However, that still leaves approximately 40,000 student veterans and their landlords, mortgages and academic institutions waiting for payment. The Internal Revenue Service is able to process federal tax returns usually within 10 business days. Many GI Bill enrollees have waited months to see one penny.

There have been more than 1,400 comments on the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Post 9/11 GI Bill Facebook fan page since the beginning of 2012, the majority of them negative and harshly critical. Instead of directly responding to individual complaints from veterans enrolled, or attempting to enroll in the GI Bill, the VA would continue to miss the opportunity to address at least a minority of the issue and complaints from their public. Instead, the VA, or the social media manager in charge of maintaining the VA’s social media presence, would continue to post unrelated blogs skirting the issue, further frustrating their followers.

In the case of the VA, most of the complaints were exactly the same, or at least very similar. In this case, the Director of the VA’s Education Service, Keith Wilson, who reportedly will be stepping down to assume a position in a regional office, should have released his statement within days of receiving the complaints, not March 8, halfway into the Spring 2012 semester.

Who is to blame? The call centers only have so much information they have access to, and the regional centers are flooded with hundreds of thousands of claims. Delays were bound to happen with the current system and workflow in place. One wonders, however, if the VA’s social media manager was relaying the complaints on to the proper departments. The social media manager must be knowledgeable enough to respond to queries and concerns at the speed of light, or at least have access to other employees who can provide those answers.

The VA is not alone, though. Many businesses and organizations, from private to government, make the mistake of using social media networks like Facebook and Twitter as a link aggregator, and nothing else. They post links to articles, statistics and photos, but fail to engage their followers through replies, contests, polls and other forms of engagement. At the very minimum, social media practitioners and their hierarchy must measure and evaluate their social media content and use it to quickly improve performance, quality and image.

The VA had a chance to employ its social media tools to, at the very least, show some empathy, and prove that they were listening. Until that happens, all of the public statements will fall on deaf, disgruntled ears.

Different tones, same message: maintain your social media identity

For years I’ve wasted countless hours on MySpace, and more recently Facebook, without any other reason but to see what other people were doing, and to let everyone know what I was up to. It wasn’t until I began planning for my future that I decided to incorporate my social media presence in putting my best professional foot forward. Below, I share a few tips and lessons on ensuring not only that your tweets and posts prevent you from causing professional harm, but also enhance your job prospects.

Stay active

The same way your body atrophies if not exercised regularly, so would your social media fitness. Tweet, post, like and engage often. Whether it’s a potential business contact, employer, friend or family member, you should display an image of being well-informed and socially aware of current affairs and trending topics. Insert yourself into the conversation. Contribute. If someone pulls up your Twitter account and your last tweet was listed as posting 456 days ago, that tells the visitor that you don’t care, and it may cause them to question your grasp and potential contribution to an organization’s social media plan.

Networking isn’t just something you do at monthly or annual conventions; it’s done every day. Following, liking, commenting and retweeting are all part of the networking game. Play.

Present a consistent image

It doesn’t matter if you are tweeting, posting or liking. Make sure that the person and image you are presenting are matching your intentions. Don’t retweet apples on Twitter and then like oranges on Facebook. If you are a job-seeker, every social media account should be treated as a resume or portfolio; a collection of ideas, accomplishments, goals, interests and values.And definitely don’t bash your current employer if you expect to keep your job, or finding a new one.

QC your profiles

Control the quality of content on all profiles, especially if you are going to connect your social media accounts. A potential employer on LinkedIn should be (and will) be able to visit your Facebook profile and not stumble upon photo albums of binge drinking, clubbing or anything else you would be embarrassed to show your mother.

Treat each platform appropriately

Personally I don’t think it’s a good idea to connect your social media accounts in a manner that every update will post simultaneously across the different platforms. It displays a lack of originality and a lack of true understanding of social media. You engage and converse with others differently on different outlets, and you want to maximize the effect of your message on each one.

I use Facebook to share family photos, fun moments, comment on pop culture and to make fun of and trade insults with friends and family. I tweet (and retweet) news, updates and features relevant to my industry of choice, as well as follow industry, thought and entertainment leaders. I connect on LinkedIn with colleagues and like-minded professionals, exchanging job tips and networking for future opportunities. I check in on Foursquare for potential deals and read reviews, and Instagram to enhance and share photos. I’m still not sold, or completely sure, of Pinterest’s purpose.

TAKEAWAY: While it may be easier to download and use an app that would allow you to share the same message with one click or tap, doing so may dilute the impact of what you want to share or say. And if you don’t think your mom would appreciate that awesome photo of you destroying a beer bong, what makes you think your (future) boss will?

Perks of Foursquare from a late discoverer

I’m addicted to my iPhone and iPad. I admit it. I’ve been told more than once to put it down or leave it in the car. I’ve been obsessed with learning as much as possible about all of the useful social media apps and platforms, and how they function on traditional laptops versus smartphones and tablets. I’m constantly running my thumb down to find out the latest updates from my Facebook and Twitter feed. I’m also a Words With Friends master, if you dare challenge me (JabroniBeater81). I’m a news junkie, so that only makes matters worse.

Yet I still find myself only recently discovering the utility and value of some social networking platforms into which others have already tapped — in this case, Foursquare.

My first impression of Foursquare was just an app which allowed users to find local shops, restaurants and other venues within a certain radius, and to  show off where they were, who they were with, and what they ate or bought. I downloaded the app months ago, but only recently established a login and password. I didn’t really see the benefit or perks of actively engaging Foursquare, other than checking in and showing off.

Spirit of competition

Foursquare offers the option to import contacts from your phone’s contact list, or your Facebook and Twitter accounts. It then sets up a rankings list based on points achieved from check-ins and badges. Competitive by nature, I did not want to remain on the bottom of the list, so I decided to give the check-in feature a shot.

Customer value

I went to the local mall this weekend hoping to find a good deal on a pair of brown dress shoes. I enter Macy’s and head toward the men’s shoe department. I spot a pair of brown Bostonian dress shoes, originally priced at $95. Being President’s Day weekend, they were marked down to $84.99. I ask a sales rep to bring me a pair of size 10 and 10 1/2. As I’m waiting, I break out my iPhone and attempt my first check-in at Macy’s.

Not only did I score some points for my first check-in, but also an additional 10% off my purchase. That brought my total price down from $95 to $76.49, plus tax (damn you, 7.75% California state tax). It also looks like these aren’t one-time only coupons either, as Foursquare states that these specials will be unlocked with every check-in.

Brand loyalty and customer retention

The discovery of potential offers and sales from merchants in the area prompted me to see what else I’ve been missing out on. Many places that I frequent, from restaurants (5 free wings, free appetizer with purchase of 2 entrees at Hooters) to my local boxing gym (1 free class for showing gym staff a check-in), offered some type of special or sale.

Another thing I noticed was how some brands were using Foursquare to develop customer loyalty and retention. Bucca di Beppo, an Italian restaurant with locations around the nation, offers deals based on repeated visits and check-ins.

Dark side of the moon

There are pros and cons to being a saving seeker, and sites like Foursquare are no exception. Deal seekers have been advised to refrain from making unnecessary or untimely purchases based on “deals.” As a Feb. 17 Business Insider article mentioned, but if advertised deals through platforms like Foursquare or Groupon aren’t time sensitive enough for you to remember to use them, you’re basically flushing money down the drain. Coupon-clippers may be enticed to make purchases on items they wouldn’t necessarily need, or spend money at establishments they would not normally visit, or have the funds to shell out, no matter how large the savings may seem to appear.

Just like they did with Groupon, I’m sure many businesses will hop on the online savings bandwagon, diluting the marketplace and the savings. Even though I know I’m behind the curve, right now I feel like I just discovered a secret, and once everyone else jumps on board, it won’t seem as cool, and the deals will become less desirable.

I’m happy, though. I saved money on shoes, and I learned about another social media platform that will help me understand how business will be conducted in the future. I’m not exactly sure if my Foursquare revelation will push me to visit businesses I’ve never been to, but I will certainly be checking in everywhere I go; if not to save some money, then definitely to reign atop my leaderboard. It also makes you think what else is out there. What other social media networking apps have been developed, and could potentially be one of the next big players? What will it take for people to take notice?