According to the Forrester Groundswell framework the sequence of the 5 objectives is monitoring, talking, energizing, supporting and embracing. While the first three are usually a big enough challenge, I will now show you two examples of how companies can take it to the next level – embracing customers!
Starbucks went for it
Embracing includes integrating customers in the company’s world and using their help to design products and improve processes. Starbucks actually have a function on their website called “My Starbucks Idea”. It allows any fan to come up with ideas for improving the Starbucks business. Every idea that is submitted will be reviewed, and if it is a great idea it will be launched. To maintain trust and enthusiasm, each will have a symbol next to it signaling the status of the idea, whether it is being reviewed, already reviewed or if it has been launched. This way Starbucks can show customers that their requests aren’t going unheard, and every fan can follow their idea in the process. In addition fans can comment on all the ideas, creating a place to chat and brainstorm new ideas to help improve the business.
Mountain Dew went further !
“Mountain Dew put 100% of the power into the Flavor Nations to control the direction, marketing and branding of the respected flavors.”
They started something very unique called the Dewmocracy. It was a campaign empowering users to choose which of three new flavors that should become a permanent flavor in the Mountain Dew Family. What is really interesting though, is that Mountain Dew handed over the responsibility for choosing the three final flavors to users as well. They started out with seven experimental new flavors, and then selected 50 applicants who then were sent “test kits” of the seven flavors. They had to test the flavors and report their reactions to each flavor. The seven flavors were then narrowed down to the three most popular.
However, Mountain Dew went EVEN further.
The 50 applicants were divided into three different groups called Flavor Nations. These Flavor Nations were given the responsibility of everything about promoting their Flavor. They named it, designed it and even did all of the marketing!
The campaign turned out to be a huge success. Fans appreciated the fact that they could choose what they wanted the most. People would talk about which flavor they liked best, post it on their favorite social media network, and even blog about it. This helped Mountain Dew’s Dewmocracy campaign become viral, and a social media hit.
The Mountain Dew example is incredible in terms of embracing customers. Not only did they ask the customers for help in choosing and designing the next new product, they made customers work for them by giving them a sense of ownership over the product. What a strong connection, I bet their net promoter score went through the roof!