Well fellow marketers, the beginning of 2017 has been fast and furious! I’m sure I’m amongst friends when I share my year-end was a combination of: wrapping up projects, supporting last minute revenue efforts, reviewing predictions for 2017, and saying goodbye to 2016 actions that should never be repeated. I'm proud to say,  now that 2017 is finally here, I’m doubling down on my “dismantle the silo” charge. And the reason is simple: customers.  We are running out of time and opportunities to grab and keep their attention.  They don’t have time or the desire to entertain disjointed experiences. Let’s face it, as customers ourselves, we feel the same. Now is the time to act, which means business units within organizations must join forces to create differentiated brand experiences.
 
My latest report written with my colleagues Ian Jacobs and Laura Naparstek , “Use Social To Bridge The Gap Between Marketing and Customer Service,” discusses the benefits a marketing and customer service pairing creates for customers and the brand.  Legacy silos prevent innovation and the cultivation of new internal connections. If we let these silos stand, we end up contributing to the negative customer experiences that happen when marketing and servicing don’t work together. So, keep the following in mind:
 
– Collaboration is the name of the game. Marketing and customer service hold overlapping goals such as acquisition and retention. Start your conversation with customer service by focusing on something you both use: social media. This report details a few ways do this and provides a few areas of focus to help because great service paves the way for great marketing.
– Service is a focus for Facebook and Twitter. Both Facebook and Twitter doubled -down on customer service in 2016.  Partner with your customer service colleagues on ideas that leverage social media capabilities for unique brand experiences. When these ideas come to fruition, use the resulting data to increase your knowledge and impact on customer preferences. 
 
The report highlights practical ways for you to use social customer service enhancements such as chatbots and private chat within Twitter to start dismantling silos.  As you launch your efforts, remember to keep up with Facebook and Twitter blogs to read additional functionality updates. And as always, let me know if you have questions or want to explore other research.