In an info-loaded age when the nature of content changes, what was once paid for is now free, and products once simply just advertised are now described in detail in articles and advertorials to buyers who demand to be fully informed before making a decision, the ability to be flexible and have good customer relations is more needed than ever. Especially, it seems, among tech giants who may think at times that they have all the solutions.
When Snapchat announced that it is considering allowing for its famously disappearing photos stick around, many ardent fans of the online platform for shots with a short shelf-life were aghast, saying that this went against the whole point of the social media site. But it may end up being more of a tactical adjustment, and offer an alternative to its big cousin Facebook, which has been losing subscribers over much more significant issues related to privacy concerns.
Indeed, more of a concern is the planned merger of the communications services of WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram, particularly considering Facebook’s mixed legacy with handling issues related to privacy and user preferences. While market forces eventually sort things out, more initial consultation with users will pay off in the long-run. The notorious difficulty in deleting a Facebook account and the social media’s giant once insisting on using @facebook.com for e-mail addresses, before such insistence backfired, goes to show that allowing for customer preferences and maintain a flexible approach remain essential, no matter who you are.
The Human & Digital Communications Agency
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