Comments on: Think of your community members as customers http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/ Community Building Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:04:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14463 Martin Reed - Blog Author Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:08:47 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14463 <strong>Eva</strong> - Glad to have helped; I am glad you found the article interesting. <strong>Cody</strong> - I completely agree. It doesn't matter whether your visitors or members are paying to use your site - they are still customers and should be treated as such. Eva – Glad to have helped; I am glad you found the article interesting.

Cody – I completely agree. It doesn’t matter whether your visitors or members are paying to use your site – they are still customers and should be treated as such.

]]> By: Cody http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14425 Cody Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:40:25 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14425 I have always thought of my website users as customers. I think if anyone is using a service they are a customer whether they are paying or not. Its true if you don't treat your customers good they will go to a competitor. Which in turn loses you business! Cody I have always thought of my website users as customers. I think if anyone is using a service they are a customer whether they are paying or not.

Its true if you don’t treat your customers good they will go to a competitor. Which in turn loses you business!

Cody

]]> By: Eva White http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14420 Eva White Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:02:55 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14420 Thanks for your reply. You've cleared my doubts. Thanks for your reply. You’ve cleared my doubts.

]]> By: Martin Reed - Blog Author http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14407 Martin Reed - Blog Author Tue, 08 Apr 2008 22:54:44 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14407 <strong>Ramana</strong> - Good point; customers definitely need to be heard. More important than just being heard though, is being listened to! <strong>sommerhus</strong> - Yes, it's a lot of work, and yes it can also be very rewarding. Have you developed an online community? <strong>Pocatello</strong> - Very interesting; I am advocating treating community members as customers, and you are currently treating customers as community members! It just goes to show that they are each one and the same. <strong>Smiley</strong> - You make a good point; by thinking of your community members as customers, you need to ensure that your customers have access to support mechanisms. <strong>Andy</strong> - If you don't deliver great services to your customers, they'll leave. It's as simple as that! <strong>Nicole</strong> - Community members need to be treated as VIPs. Sometimes it just helps thinking of them as customers to ensure you adopt the right attitude towards them. <strong>Eva</strong> - I don't think considering your members as customers can destroy the personal touch; you just need to make sure you don't take the 'corporate mentality' too far. Small family businesses take advantage of the personal touch - you can do the same. <strong>Simon</strong> - I don't think it matters whether you call your mods a customer support team or a moderation team; loyal, dedicated members of your community will always be keen to volunteer. I will admit however, that giving your staff members such a title could cause confusion amongst your community members as they wonder who the customers are! <strong>Reena</strong> - I am glad you agree; I am sure that if community developers thought of their visitors and members as customers, far more would be successful. <strong>Smiley</strong> - You make a good point; many members would get a sense of satisfaction with such a title - you just need to make that isn't the sole reason why they are applying for the job! Ramana – Good point; customers definitely need to be heard. More important than just being heard though, is being listened to!

sommerhus – Yes, it’s a lot of work, and yes it can also be very rewarding. Have you developed an online community?

Pocatello – Very interesting; I am advocating treating community members as customers, and you are currently treating customers as community members! It just goes to show that they are each one and the same.

Smiley – You make a good point; by thinking of your community members as customers, you need to ensure that your customers have access to support mechanisms.

Andy – If you don’t deliver great services to your customers, they’ll leave. It’s as simple as that!

Nicole – Community members need to be treated as VIPs. Sometimes it just helps thinking of them as customers to ensure you adopt the right attitude towards them.

Eva – I don’t think considering your members as customers can destroy the personal touch; you just need to make sure you don’t take the ‘corporate mentality’ too far. Small family businesses take advantage of the personal touch – you can do the same.

Simon – I don’t think it matters whether you call your mods a customer support team or a moderation team; loyal, dedicated members of your community will always be keen to volunteer. I will admit however, that giving your staff members such a title could cause confusion amongst your community members as they wonder who the customers are!

Reena – I am glad you agree; I am sure that if community developers thought of their visitors and members as customers, far more would be successful.

Smiley – You make a good point; many members would get a sense of satisfaction with such a title – you just need to make that isn’t the sole reason why they are applying for the job!

]]> By: Smiley http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14373 Smiley Mon, 07 Apr 2008 00:38:01 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14373 I don't agree, Simon. All my regulars are very keen to be part of the customer support team, they like the title. They like to help the site because they enjoy being part of the community, they don't want pay. I don’t agree, Simon. All my regulars are very keen to be part of the customer support team, they like the title. They like to help the site because they enjoy being part of the community, they don’t want pay.

]]> By: Furniture Store http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14368 Furniture Store Sat, 05 Apr 2008 18:07:39 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14368 I would not have thought of community members as customers simply because there is no monetary consideration involved. But i suppose there is a more subtle non-monetary consideration at play here, and the points you make that customers need to feel attracted, valued and satisfied make a lot of sense in that context. I would not have thought of community members as customers simply because there is no monetary consideration involved. But i suppose there is a more subtle non-monetary consideration at play here, and the points you make that customers need to feel attracted, valued and satisfied make a lot of sense in that context.

]]> By: Simon Brown http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14358 Simon Brown Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:00:19 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14358 Also, if you are running a website as an amatur and don't pay your mods - potential mods would be much less likley to agree to "work as a volenteer in our customer support team". Also, if you are running a website as an amatur and don’t pay your mods – potential mods would be much less likley to agree to “work as a volenteer in our customer support team”.

]]> By: Eva White http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14355 Eva White Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:28:17 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14355 May be I could be wrong, but just out of curiosity I would like to ask, does thinking your visitors as customers would give that personal touch which one would get if the visitor is taken as a community member. I agree with what you have written, but the moment you term anybody customer it becomes a business affair rather than a personal one... what do you think? May be I could be wrong, but just out of curiosity I would like to ask, does thinking your visitors as customers would give that personal touch which one would get if the visitor is taken as a community member.
I agree with what you have written, but the moment you term anybody customer it becomes a business affair rather than a personal one… what do you think?

]]> By: Nicole Price http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14353 Nicole Price Fri, 04 Apr 2008 09:50:58 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14353 Never thought of them as customers per se, but given them utmost importance in all situations. This point cannot be stressed enough. Never thought of them as customers per se, but given them utmost importance in all situations. This point cannot be stressed enough.

]]> By: Plumbing Course Andy http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14346 Plumbing Course Andy Thu, 03 Apr 2008 06:58:19 +0000 http://www.communityspark.com/think-of-your-community-members-as-customers/#comment-14346 I agree, as much as possible deliver to them quality "services". Thanks for that very nice post! I agree, as much as possible deliver to them quality “services”. Thanks for that very nice post!

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