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Ariana Dresner

Dr. Dr. Steffen Guenzel

Enc ENC 1102-0M09

April 14, 2015

Friended or Unfriended?

In a world so engaged in the “newest” or the “quickest” applications, it is natural to won-

der how they truly take effect in our lives. As a society, we have grown to use social media as a

tool for communication in the professional world. Through Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter,

the world of the internet has blossomed from a mere seed of curiousity and interest into a flower

of connections and new opportunities. In today’s world of business, technology has become a rel-

evant tool in conducting research and running a successful business. The business industry has

thrived throughout the years, gaining information in more convienient ways, as well as spreading

information to others quickly. As a hospitality student studying event management, it is impor-

tant to me that I focus my research on a topic which has a profound effect on the event side of

the industry. It is important to think about how it is effecting society’s future as it continues to in-

corporate technology into its daily life. More importantly, my research will explore the concept

of social media in the business industry, uncovering what elements make it contructive for busi-

nesses around the world, as well as elements which may hold them back from achieving success.

Ultimately, I will discover how social media has impacted the everyday opperations of a busi-

ness today, and the reasons why it should be used in the future as a primary source in the indus-

try.

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Social media consists of websites and webpages which allow users to control the amount

of information given out and who receives that information. Social media also allows users to

participate in network marketing for their business.The research conducted for social media in

the business industry is extensive, as there are so many elements which go into discovering the

effects social media have on groups of people. Society has put somewhat of a label on the topic,

giving it the reputation that social media has the sole purpose of communicating with others for

pleasure and entertainment. But throughout the research process, there have been many discover-

ies that lead us to believe that social media’s role in society has grown into a much larger spec-

trum of communication. It is wise to ask ourselves, “How has the rise of technology and social

media effected the proficiency of business networking?” We should also ask ourselves “Where

will social media take society in the next few decades based on what we see now?” Will we

progress as a society and benefit from it, or will it eventually cause businesses to fall due to the

lack of personal contact?

With all of the events around the world, the element of technology aids in the growth of

the industry. Towards the rise of social media at the turn of the century, businesses were still fo-

cused on verbal and physical communication between customers. Advertisements came mostly

in the form of postcards in the mail, as well as phone calls made directly to the customers’ land-

line phones. It wasn’t until society began relying on social media as a means for communication

that businesses turned to technology for guidance. For example, back before the internet played a

vital role in the industry, companies held campaigns the old fashioned way, by making signs and

marching around town (or in some cases outside of the company buiding) advertising for various

products and/or services. Although such strategies called attention to the company, the informa-

tion was only relayed to the people who happened to be crossing the street or driving by, catch-

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ing a glance at the sign. As soon as social media rose, the process of campaigning made a digital

transition, as companies began sharing advertisements soley online. As a result, the information

was addressed to a larger population of people. What once took days or even weeks to share in-

formation in the past now only takes a few minutes (Ritter). From that point on, the world of

communication became a popular, everlasting trend that is continuing to grow today.

The business industry thrives on a special group of people: the customers. Upon the rise

of social media, companies noticed a change in customer behavior relating to the business ac-

tions performed on the internet as opposed to real life. In Susan Dolan’s article, she includes sev-

eral statistics to support her claim that social media guides businesses down a positive road. Her

research shows that “65% of small or local businesses stated that social media helped them keep

connected with their customers” (Dolan). She also adds that “51% of Facebook users and 64% of

Twitter users are more likely to purchase products and make use of services from business they

follow on the platforms” (Dolan). Dolan’s research is mostly driven by numbers. By including

statistical research, she intends to relay the information to the reader in a relatable way, as many

customers do not often take the time to observe the social effects numerically. Over half of the

percentage of customers took advantage of what companies placed on social media in a positive

way. Social media acts as a convienient messanger of information from one individual to an-

other. The ability companies have to animate advertisements, as well as add links and pictures

adds a whole level of advertising. The customers are now stimulated in ways that were not used

years ago. With just a simple click of a button, customers are able to fully grasp the company’s

advertisment goal, as well as convieniently pay for the product or service. The ever so simple

change has provided businesses with the opportunity to differentiate themselves, furthering their

competitive strategies. Social media places the information infront of the customer wherever

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they may be, as opposed to the past when the customer was exposed to the advertisement if they

happened to be in the right place.

In the business world, there is a common misconception that business should not be

mixed with pleasure, meaning employees should not be allowed to use social media related web-

sites during work hours. One perspective may rule out social media in the workplace for reasons

related to distractions. Social media gives the user the opportunity to search, connect and com-

municate with practically anything and anyone online. Such freedom could easily be taken ad-

vantage of, limiting the amount of physical work accomplished. However, many social media

websites have been created today with businesses in mind. Many of them allow businesses to

recruit their own staff or contact potential new clients who can better the business. It could even

extend their global reach and create partnerships that are benefitial in the future (Pedley). With

so many websites in the mix today, why do customers often choose social media based websites?

As human beings, we long for interaction at all times, whether it’s talking with a friend over cof-

fee, sending an email to a teacher, etc. Unknowingly, we are constantly seeking information from

our surroundings. Businesses today highly value the concept of “word of mouth” networking

(Pedley). Studies have shown that consumers trust word of mouth more than other forms of info-

mation on the internet (Pedley). As a result, businesses favor social media over other advertising

approaches because its ability to spread informaton to others trumps that of standard business

websites.

Although the world has been exposed to social media, and given the time to discover its

benefits and opportunites, research provides reasons why such a positive boost to society can

also produce flaws. Pedley’s article mentions the latter argument that is commonly overlooked in

society. Due to companies’ longing for customer feedback, it is often “difficult for businesses to

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control their image in the public space” (Pedley) Social websites allow for customer feedback,

giving users the freedom to post comments for the world to see. Like any other career, customers

can complain and take their frusterations out on social media websites. As a result, the online

world is exposed to the negative comments, possibly effecting the company’s reputation.

In Erik Qualman’s book, Socialnomics, he talks about the power of the internet using the

phrase “What happens in Vegas Stays on Youtube,” meaning whatever piece of information is

placed on the internet is open for the world to see in an instant. His research thrives on social

commerce, which is the idea the people value the opinions of other people (Qualman). One com-

ment or bad review can be seen by millions. Although a majority are strangers, the users value

the coments they see and take it into account the next time they consider using the business. The

comments leave a profound emotional effect on the viewer, as they feel they will be personally

effected by the business in the same way if they choose to give the company their time and

money. An idea that stood out to me is how businesses can take the negatives in an online situa-

tion and turn it into a positive. For example, tripadviser.com is a website often used in the hospi-

tality industry. The wensite’s purpose is to reveal comments from guests who visit certain busi-

ness locations, giving them the freedom to express how they truly felt about the visit. A customer

could write a comment along the lines of “The XYZ Hotel didn’t provide shampoo in the bath-

room, and their staff at the front desk were not very helpful at all.” While many would believe

that the negative comments associated with the hotel could destroy the company, Qualman ar-

gues that in this circumstance, the XYZ hotel is placed in the situation where they are given the

exact amount of information needed to determine what needs to be done to fix the problem. The

customers’ feedback guide the establishment by specifying where they need to focus on at that

time. Companies spend so much time attempting to sugar-coat their negative feedback comments

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without realizing the comments can actually be used to benefit the company (Qualman). They act

as an opportunity for change as opposed to destruction.

In some cases, a humorous approach to negative customer feedback can result in a larger

outbreak. In 2008, a man named Dave Carroll took a flight on United Airlines and prior to exit-

ing the plane during a layover, heard a fellow passenger yell “My God! They’re throwing guitars

out there!” Sure enough, his $3,500 guitar was broken. He was turned down after his attempt to

file a claim with the airlines. He then decided to write a comical song and make a music video

sharing his ultimate disgust with the situation. The video was an overnight success, and through

social media recieved over 13 million views on the internet (Wilson). The success of the video

innevidibly became the downfall of United Airline’s reputation. Although humorous in nature,

the video showcased the airline as insensitive and unthoughtful. Cases like these showcase the

power of the internet in a way which counteracts the claim that social media greatly benefits the

industry.

The amount of negativity towards a company through efforts on social media are poten-

tially detremental to their business, yet can also create opportunities as well. As far as the situa-

tion at United Airlines, the company quickly received attention for their actions. However, upon

hearing about the incident and the music video’s ssudden success, the company took immediate

action to counteract the ngative reputation at stake. They took the situation as an opportunity for

redemption and offered a reimbersement, including a brand new guitar. United Airlines also cre-

ated their own music video in response to the original, essentially apologizing for their actions

and offering useful advice for passengers traveling with fragile items. They included the music

video in their future training videos as a lesson for future employees about care and customer re-

spect (Wilson). Also, many companies found that giving their employees the empowerment to

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write their own blog posts about the company gives rooms for growth (Pedley). As stated in the

example about the XYZ hotel’s negative customer feedback, the same goes for employees. It is

well known in the hospitality industry that a happy employee means a productive employee.

When the employee feels that they have the power to approach the company with concerns, they

are more motivated to fix the issues when they see them, as opposed to waiting to be told. In the

end, this open door system keeps the company running smoothly.

With a large grasp on the social media world, it is my understanding that social media has

had a profound effect on businesses today and will continue to leave a footprint on the industry.

With any large movement in the world, there are concerns and downfalls. Millions of people use

the internet on a daily basis, some with good intentions and others without. But the rise of tech-

nology has proven to act as a learning tool and opportunity for growth. It is essentially the com-

pany’s choice in how to encompass the internet into the business. By taking advantage of the

endless opportunities social media has to offer, the business industry will thrive in the future.

Works Cited

Dolan, Susan. "Social Media: The Most Influential Tool for Business

Communication." Web log post. Benchmark Email Marketing Blog. N.p., 31 Jan.

2014. Web. 28 Feb. 2015.

Pedley, Keiran. "Mixing Business and Pleasure – Social Networking for Business." GfK Insights

Blog. N.p., 5 July 2012. Web. 10 Apr. 2015.

Qualman, Erik. "Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do

Business." Choice Reviews Online 48.03 (2010): 48-1576. Web.

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Ritter, Megan. "How Social Media Is Changing the World of Business

Communications - UP Global." UP Global. Business Insider, Inc, 04 Sept. 2014.

Web. 28 Feb. 2015.

Wilson, Richard. "A Public Relations Disaster." Sentium. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2015.