In part 1, we introduced Pluck Listeners and explained the key components that define our listening functionality: identifying, routing and acting. In this post we will examine what the use of listening for action means and how to take advantage of Pluck Listeners to gain insights into your customers, market and products. The following provide just a few examples of how Pluck Listeners can be used to gain that insight and turn it into meaningful action.

Customers

Whether it’s through direct product feedback or topical conversations, Listeners provide a great way to capture insights into customers. These insights provide an opportunity to deliver a new level of customer service when used to bubble up key feedback that enables rapid response.

Let’s say you’re a retailer that offers up video game rentals and allows reviews of those games from your site. Even though reviews should be about the game, sometimes they contain complaints about a physical defect or a service issue. You want to know about and respond to those complaints instead of having them display on your site within a game review. Using Pluck Listeners, you can define the words and phrases often related to defects or customer complaints and label them as a “Complaints” listener. When customers submit content matching the “Complaints” listener, it can be routed to representatives from the customer service department who review the content and contact the customer to address the situation.

This use of Pluck Listeners provides customer insight and empowers a better customer experience with quick and direct action. That sort of attention builds loyalty and repeat business. It also makes a better customer experience for future users by keeping the reviews concentrated on the product and not on customer service issues.

Market

Listeners are useful in understanding and influencing your market through the building of evangelists for your brand. While the Pluck Reputation Engine is used to identify those users with the most contributions and best community response, Listeners can identify those users who mention your brand by name and show you what they are saying so you can reach out to them and encourage their participation. That personal touch will further drive their affinity and good favor, adding another trusted source to your community.

To identify the potential content and users referencing your brand, create a Pluck Listener for “Brand Interest” containing the brand name and other related topics of interest. Content matching the “Brand Interest” Listener can then be directed to your top community managers, editors or members of the marketing team where these team members look for positive contributions that can be featured and users that can be promoted within the community. Continue to recognize these users and express appreciation through product previews and special offers and you will build market influencers that share their positive experience through your community.

Pluck Listeners help you understand what the market is saying about your brand which you can use to identify your emerging advocates. When used effectively, it’s a powerful means to build loyalty with up and coming influencers in your community and turn them into full-blown evangelists.

Products

Listeners are a powerful tool to gain insight on products. When customers mention a specific product or ask a question about something by name, Listeners can surface that information and produce the opportunity to engage directly with the customer, even when the feedback is not directly attached to the product.

For example, if you recently added a new cooking product that can be purchased through your site, you’ll get direct feedback from product reviews but you can use Listeners to identify when that product is mentioned in forum questions, blog posts and comments. These product reactions are important and yield insight into common questions, potential issues and overall product success. Simply set up a Listener matching the name of the product or model like “ACME Slow Cooker” and direct matching content to the product team for review. From there, the product team can evaluate the content and determine if action needs to be taken by a customer representative, if there is information that would be valuable to the manufacturer or if the product should be promoted in some way.

Pluck Listeners deliver product insight that inform your customer teams, enlighten your suppliers and manufacturers and suggest product packages and promotions. Coupled with direct on-product feedback like reviews, Listeners are a powerful asset in getting the complete picture around products and their value to your business.

In each of these examples, Listeners provide insight - insight into where customers need attention, insight into your market influencers and insight into product conversations. What’s more is that you get it built into tools that are designed to be the front line of your community and empower quick and efficient action. We’d love to hear your feedback on the practical application of Pluck Listeners and other ways in which it can enrich your community. As always, we’re listening…