Social Networking is only another Marketing Channel

Friend. This is a word people use very lightly these days thanks to social networking. Places such as Linked In, FaceBook, and MySpace have become channels of marketing rather than social sites. Permissions have been granted for a job screening agency to archive FaceBook pages. If they are using screen scrape technology, that is easily countered by setting permissions but one line in the article makes me wonder if they are actually accessing file archives. This is only one step away from allowing similar access to marketing companies, But wait they have some of that information already no matter WHAT permissions you have set!

For those of you who use FaceBook I am certain you have noticed those advertisements off to the right hand side on many pages. The ones that list things like Acai Diet, Cosmetic Laser Surgery, and other dubious sites and companies. If you look at them they now show John Doe and 14 other friends like this. Yes, they are accessing your information to see who you are friends with and what their preferences are. Why? Because they believe, correctly, that you will trust a recommendation from a friend rather than an advertisement.

On the opposite end of the spectrum are the Spam Police from FaceBook, they check reports of spam or offensive posts and punish users they deem guilty. Yet, with the trend in 'Branding' oneself through the Internet and specifically through social sites, where does marketing leave off and social interaction begin? One friend of mine from way back in high school is very popular. (His web sites are here and here )He is a local celebrity in Key West and in the gay community. He is a professional photographer, a male model and a wedding planner. He likes to share his better work with his friends.

As an artist in photography some photos are technically in violation of FaceBook Policy, like his engagement photo with the groom seemingly naked hidden under the bride's vanity. It is a beautifully lit piece, very artistic. He was asked to remove some of his photos. He was not happy about it, but complied. Instead began to link to his blog for people to see his work. Not good enough for FaceBook. Instead they called it spamming, advertising and punished him. Why? Because it links offsite and he did not pay for a ad on that right hand side to do so.

Now some of us speculate it is because he is gay and posts pictures of beautiful men. FaceBook says not, they claim he cannot be that popular and must be spamming. So he is moving gradually to another social network and taking his over 500 friends with him.

This is an example of poor business on the part of FaceBook and any other social network. Others on the site openly hold the title of Social Networking Specialist on their profiles. They use a company created profile to network and to point people to company sponsored (read paid for) page and encourage their friends to do the same. Yet a person actually trying to stay within the rules of the site is punished for being popular.

He is not the only one, I have heard reports of others with similar issues. One friend who makes unique purses sometimes posts a picture of her latest design, another that does Cosplay items like ears and tails, one that makes jewelery and another that does website design - FaceBook has told them to 'buy an ad' if they want to market their services. Yet they ARE real friends of mine, people who I went to school with, worked with, played games with, and we have supported each other in many endeavors. They want to show their friends something they are proud of. But FaceBook wants only marketeers and sheep who blindly chose things from their paying customers. This is a poor business model. Soon all that will be there are Marketeers marketing to each other. Then again maybe that is not a bad thing. Maybe they will leave us alone then.

The customer is always right - or is he? I recently had a friend ask me to make some vanilla soap for her. So I made a batch gave her some and a week later asked what she thought. "It was horrible !" she said "it did everything all scented soaps do to me and I had stop using it. But it smelled great!" Now, that was something she 'forgot' to mention, she is allergic to most scented soaps. At first I was taken aback at the word horrible, then as we talked she did not mean the soap was horrible as soap, it just was not for her.

This is a problem many people in cosmetics, fragrance, jewelery and even textile businesses have, sometimes what the customer wants is not for them. A little more discovery on my part lead me to believe that she is allergic not to the vanilla, but to either the coconut oil or the palm kernal oil that I use in my soaps. I use it in ALL of my soaps so unscented would not be the solution.

Yet, how far is the manufacturer, retailer or craftsman to go? Where are we obligated to question and where are we crossing the line? In this case, my friend knew she reacted to scented soaps, she HOPED that something hand made instead of mass produced would be a solution. It was not, is my soap 'horrible' because she is allergic to it? My repeat sales say not. Now, take into account that she is a friend and can speak more openly to me than others might. Others however, might just try to sue. And therein lays the problem.

Many years ago I took part in a soap swap, a bunch of us made batches of soap and sent them to each other in return we got soap the others made. One of the ladies made a cinnamon soap. The box REEKED of cinnamon when I opened it. It smelled great so of course I went for that soap first. I had used cinnamon soap before, I am not allergic to it - but my skin is fussy about some things. It was great until I hit my face, my upper thighs and my derriere. Suddenly my skin was on fire, it turned bright red. I went to the site we used for the swap and asked how old the soap was, thinking MAYBE it was too young to use and explained my reactions. It was over 6 weeks, so the soap was ready but she DID include the recipe she used over double the amount of cinnamon I do. For those of you who do not know cinnamon is a common allergy it is also an irritant to delicate skin. So it was not an allergy, but my skin did react. I did not know it would, she was apologetic, that was fine, but it was the other people's reactions that annoyed me until I realized why. They were all afraid of litigation.

Now it is true I used the soap in good faith knowing I was not allergic to cinnamon. She had tested the soap on herself and others and had not gotten anyone that reacted. Neither of us were at fault neither of us were particularly angry. I felt bad that she was worried, but honestly there was nothing she could have done differently. My daughter also reacted to it - no surprise there, so I let the soap dry out and used it to scent my drawers. It was free, sort of, and I did love the scent. Others however might have started a suit and that is a problem. The soapmaker was not at fault. I was not at fault. It is just one of those things. Sometimes we find out things the hard and painful way.

This is where most people need to take a step back and look at things before they go screaming that a product is awful or that they are owed. First did you know you were allergic or reacted to any of the ingredients in the product? Second did you ask what was in it? This is why that is important. Lavender officinalis is what I must put on any product I make that has lavender in it. Most people can figure that one out. But what about pogostemon cablin - I would bet most do not know that is a patchouli type. Nor would I bet most know it is a member of the mint family. But I WOULD bet that a person knows if they are allergic to mint or not. The federal laws state that LEGALLY I must use genus and species. ETHICALLY I feel I need to educate people on what some of those really mean. But honestly if someone were to ask me for a patchouli soap I would not think to say 'hey are you allergic to mint, or coconut, or palm oil or hemp or ..?

So, remember the customer is always right except when they are not. Your product may not be 'horrible' it is just not for them. Now if every customer that uses it says it is horrible you may want to look at what you are doing wrong, but honestly sometimes both sides are right and I feel if it was sold in good faith, then the onus is on the customer to remember that. My friend is still my friend by the way, she comes over and smells when I make soap - especially the vanilla. I wish there were something I COULD make for her but Castille might be the only solution and that is not my forte though I swear I will try it again one day when I am in a place that is less prone to temperature changes and will give her a sample to try. She may tell me it is 'horrible' but I will not take it to heart, nor however will I ask her for a testimonial.

Hospitality with a French accent and Universal Incompetance

I used to travel for business.   I worked for a travel agency, so travel was part of the job.  Then I worked for a music company, again I traveled, although not so much.  For over 16 years I traveled off and on for work.  Hotels tend to work contracts with companies for business travel and for groups  (known to the rest of us as conferences, conventions or meetings).  Some of the places I stayed in were no frills, some were quite luxurious and some were just plain fun.  But I was working, not there for vacation or pleasure.  As long as I could sleep, make it to meetings on time and save the company money I did not care really.

Last year for the first time in over 16 years I booked a hotel room for pleasure.  You see I was attending a convention of Anime, Manga and Gaming industries and fans.  It's quite large - perhaps you have heard of it - Anime Central  AKA Acen the 5th largest anime con in the US. Last year it boasted 13,900 attendees. 

So remembering how nice the Hyatt Regency was during the Dr Who cons years ago, I booked a room in January for the Con in May.  When I arrived I was asked by the Hyatt staff if I minded staying at the Doubletree - they would pay for me.  I thought about it. then said ok. I could use the extra cash at the con I decided. I had 2 teenage girls staying wth me, one was my daughter another from her anime club - originally I had booked assuming 3 or 4 but  the others could not stay over, which turned out to be a good thing.

The Doubletree is across the street from the Hyatt I asked if it was a nice place and  I got a yes.  We crossed the street to register, only to find we could not enter the lobby. Cops, fire engines etc are there.  I do not know what the story was but not a good first impression.  So I got in line register, needless to say there was a longish line. I finally got to the desk, handed the desk the paperwork from the Hyatt, and was asked for a credit card to secure the room.  I tell her no.  She has to ask her boss it is ok but the fridge will remain locked (Good I thought, that way I wouldn't get extra charges from the girls getting a coke out.)  We headed up to the room.  

Sigh, Well it had 2 beds, a funny smell and an iron I guess that is all I need really.  The tub is small, the shower so so. The handle came off the sink faucet. It was a dive by business traveler standards. All I can say is it had an iron and I slept ok.  NOT what I was looking forward to as a weekend getaway.

Now to this day I do not know why I was moved across the street, so this year when I go to book for the con and I see what I want from the Hyatt is not available, I decide not to risk it and instead make a res at the Sofitel. You know the one with the tag line Hospitality with a French accent.  ALL OVER the site is the statement that to lock in that rate they will charge your card 15 days prior to the booking.  So I make the res in February, receive confirmation e-mails I have made it with the check in times, etc and again the notice they will charge my card 15 days before the date.

21 day before the con our travel arrangements change slightly so I  called to see if I can check in early on the first day. I was transferred to reservations where I was placed on hold - for a long time. I left a voice mail when prompted and was assured I would be called back within a half hour. No call - but it was late my time and i had time before the con so I was not worried.

We hit 15 business days before the con, my card has not been charged - perhaps they meant 15 calender days?  I called again, again transferred to res. again leave a message, again no call back. I tried when I had time, and the days ticked away. Now it was 15 day before the check in. Still no charge to my card no charge attempted according to my bank (so it wasn't refused). Again I left a message, then I called the customer service number they mention 1-800-sofitel. I get a recording telling me they are moving their res and CS offices to Paris and that their hours are MON - FRI 8:00am (I think) to 6:00pm Paris time. - Hmm that would be what... GMT is  hours ahead of where  I am and Paris is either GMT or one over so 5 or 6 hours ahead.   

Finally I spoke got a call back and a message left to speak to the local hotel res desk.  That is what I had been TRYING to do. Finally 5 days before the con I spoke to Julie. She was a great representative, we worked out the issue quickly. There had been a typo on the expiration date when I entered the number. She got it settled, the room set and Voila I had a place, it would cost me 50.00 more to check in early, I said that was fine. 

What a difference! Yes the room was still no frills, but the staff was wonderful. I slept like a log and enjoyed the weekend immensely.  

Now, both of these companies have a serious issue and that is lack of communication. Hyatt waited until I showed to bump me. They sent me to a substandard hotel and basically affected my mood for the ENTIRE convention thus ensuring perhaps not only would I NEVER stay at Doubletree again, but that I might never book with Hyatt nor even attend this conference again. One e-mail or phone call would have alleviated the entire situation.  The Sofitel on the other hand fixed the problem once I got to the right person. But again, they did not communicate in any way that the reservation made well in advance was not set.  It would behoove both of these companies to pay attention to reservations made THAT far in advance.  Neither were in the Convention room block, so they had no idea why I booked well over 6 months in advance.

Last both companies would do well to remember that leisure travelers that attend fun conventions frequently have business associates. Yes, that is right. From now on I am advising all of my business associates to not use the Doubletree at O'Hare. I am advising them if they MUST use any Sofitel to speak to the Res Desk at the hotel or ensure their agency has verified and reverified the reservation especially if it is for a group res and to above all else AVOID CALLING THEIR SO CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE.