Social Media Role in Managing Event Customer Relations

Social media definition

Social media is an advanced communication device of the modern century that applies the inclusion of a massive group who share a common sentiment. It has allowed its users to update their events and societal beliefs as they strive to acquire better communication channels. In addition, social media has made a dedicated effort to build connections and a customer base for the extensive haul. Individuals of similar group settings relay information and transfer opinions online through clicks. They also access fan pages with the help of social media. Its repercussions include addiction and exposure to unprotected links that may be considered highly disturbing without control because information gets transferred with a click of the mouse.

However, social media presents advantages in the number of users and the level that the information can reach its recipients within a limited time. Social media has been most popular in Facebook and Twitter in recent years with billions of users each having access. Companies have created pages to allow their brands to be marketed and get user preference because it provides a channel that can communicate effectively to these customers (Rothschild, 2010).

Social media applies to providing answers and current news on the latest trend and the best products through getting user reviews and referrals. The event management industry is fast utilizing this new development. It has applied the use of social media strategies to widen the scope of consumers with a definite response from the target. Event management handles venues and activities from sport to capital entertainment grounds that get utilized by energetic individuals. To manage an event properly, there should be time and venue to accommodate the function with sponsorship acquired from attendance. Event management requires an effective communication device to apply its spread, therefore, incorporation of social media would fulfil this function. In other words, social media is not only a platform for straightforward highly developed online marketing; it also serves as the uprising of a century.

Advantages of social media

Society has found measures to close the gap in socialization with this new form of the communication channel. This is because it promises to deliver easier pathways when relaying and sharing information. The majority of individuals who utilize social media mainly comprises the youth who search for the latest communication method to communicate with their peers. Social media contain packages that make it appealing to use and these may incorporate other modern media technologies in the data. Photo sharing, video maps and graphical images may be incorporated to boost communication.

The major advantage that social media bring to its user is its ability to deliver fast information instantly and bear update on the modern news that individuals desire to get informed on current events. Social media allows people from different geographical locations to meet and express their views at a single point. Facebook and Twitter are examples that have provided their users with interactive groups and links that have connected individuals to their peers, and respected customers when the subject is service delivery.

Social media helps the majority of the youth, and adolescents to search for answers to stressful situations that they may encounter in society. Forums may be established to generate a link that enables individuals sharing similar issues to discuss their constraints. The importance of communicating with individuals within the social media forums is that information can be shared openly without a threat in disclosing the identity. People can log in with different user names or indirectly via company or organization names.

With the network, fast-growing within the community, there have been additions to streamlining live feeds of videos and instant messaging that ease communication. Search engines like Google have implemented easier strategies in seeking information and through a list of various events and venues. Individuals can access their information by typing the key names.

Social media has advanced to offer interactive channels for friends and families to gain use in the business industries. Facebook and Twitter have provided firms with positions within their pages to create links for their clients to access. This can be done through the creation of links that the companies have created for their clients to follow and access their information with the packages presented. In creating new friends, social media networks have been vital to developing measures that allow individuals to meet new individuals.

However, an individual may have several friends that they may have not met before or have indirect contact within the real world (Smith, 2011, p2). Links increase through such networks as popularity given to the pages with the most visitors. This system may be having the benefit to the rating system. This applies where individuals are capable of giving preference to the companies that are of benefit to them.

Social media networks are vital to offer a resolution to individual conflicts that they may face in society. When Facebook and Twitter got invented, their sole purpose was to create communication channels that could be beneficial to family members and friends. Through these links, topics that could discuss the vices of the society and creative forums could be posted. These have become the main communication channels in the modern century because individuals rarely find time to socialize with their friends.

Research has articulated the association entities to develop psychological comfort and lead to a reduction in stress situations. Individuals find ease in communicating about their problems and experiences in social media forums because they are minimal demanding and a cheap means to gain therapy. The close relationships developed within these forums promote unity and may lead to group formation that focused on promoting the topic under consideration.

Limitations of using social media

The major concern that social media brings is the confinement of information transfer within a singular medium presented on the internet. This is a moving source to acquire information and the wrong implication could lead to ruining the reputation. Most people would pay more attention to negative publicity as compared to a positive entity. Once a strategy sets out to reach a maximum population, the reputation must be maintained to justify every action. Event customer relations depend on creating a positive image to help in relating to them. An example may be involved in introducing a new product without testing it to the customer and may have a negative implication on the reception capability.

Social media requires experts in handling its technicalities. There is a restriction to maintaining a high level of competence to achieve successful strategies in marketing (Colderice, 2011). In achieving successful customer satisfaction in the event management business, there needs to be a constant check on the market trends and maintain the service delivery at a constant (Sharpe, 1990, p. 1069).

Many individuals may apply social media, but few access the contents of what the message contains. There is a constantly changing opinion in articulating the important information from the necessary. For example, Blogs and Twitter feed tend to take on the character of their authors, and this is not satisfactory. This is simply because it is not an individual’s blog or feed-it belongs to the corporation and they have chosen one as the representative to post. This is contrary to what many social companies think that they are feed or blog which later end in dad way. The blog and feed of a corporation should be cynical (Mandrusiak, 2011).

The Event Management Process and customer relations

The process of careful organization and planning an event to ensure that each desired fulfilment gets completed appropriately comprises event management. In event management, the resources that get involved in the preparation of; events, people, time and financial expenditure contained in the organization process get merged. The process requires a qualified individual in the organization of these elements who manages time appropriately to deliver these services.

Customer relations, on the other hand, define the level of comfort achieved when interacting with customers. There is a need to maintain a healthy relationship with clients to avoid running at a loss. Businesses and event organizing firms utilize various ventures to provide incentives to clients to generate a healthy relationship between them and their clients. Through the organization of various events, a level may be achieved that create healthy interaction with clients. However, the event management continues to be threatened with poor budgeting and a lack of flowing information to the supplier and the organizer.

There are various forms of tools involved in the preparation process and there need to be the appropriate resources to organize a successful event. A wedding would need to employ the services of the best chef and furniture decorator in town, to create a successful event and are qualities that need intense research to produce the exemplary result. Management gets conducted in the time, quality and financial expenditure to be incurred by the sponsor.

Event management is a topic that requires experience in socializing with various individuals, within the society to gain access to top-notch services. Most events require careful planning and arrangement of their details to produce successful outcomes. Most spontaneously organized events normally lead to wastage in variable resource forms and may fail to achieve their intended purpose. A successfully organized event would lead to better customer relations because the motive would be driven towards achieving a healthy relationship to boost cohesion.

Role of Social media in event management and building customer relations

Social media advances through businesses and the organization of events due to its flexibility in allowing operation successes. Most organizations have realized the need to input social media within their marketing strategies because it has become the main component of communication. The majority of individuals in society is increasingly participating in online businesses and interactive measures (Leung, 2007, p. 204). This is due to the competition advancement in the 21^st society that limits social life with individuals mostly concentrated in their office cubical.

Academic knowledge can be accessed online and qualifications according to the participants who look for easier measures to complete tasks. The computer age has developed various vices and norms to replace the ancient traditions that people of the recent decades considered the appropriate means to task completion. Internet is a broad network that contains a list of variable sources of information with easier access accorded to the participants updated with the system. Organizations are inputting measures to build and retain customers included in their business development (Kumar & Reinartz, 2003, p. 77). Events get applied to utilize the opportunity to drive new strategies and implement the agreed changes with their clients. Customers are the key to driving businesses, and there is the need to establish a healthy relationship to maintain the returns as expected by the company’s policy (Rogers, M. & Peppers, D, 2011, p. 24).

The measure applied to a social system is the exchange of information through words and blogs that may be of a commonly discussed topic or information shared by a source. This service is advantageous because there are fewer expenses incurred by marketing individuals. After all, the services applied are free reaching a maximum population within a short time. The resources it provides can be exploited by any organization because it does not provide limits or discriminate against a group.

Social media is diverse and available across continents and does not limit its availability to developed countries. There may be variable language forms adjusted to communicate easily to individuals with different backgrounds and understanding capacity. Graphical images, charts and videos, get incorporated into social media to provide an easier communication channel giving evidence to what service may involve (Smith, 2011, p. 1). Social interaction has been limited to the computer means because people in the society would rather log in to their personalized accounts to chat with their friends than set up physical interaction that they consider more expensive, and time engaging (Aloisio, 2011, p. 2).

Social media technology provides a diverse dependency because each presents separate needs that need fulfilling. It regards every user as a consumer and includes a network list that reflects on normal life activities. Consumers who present a list of demands from psychological to social requirements operate social media. However, to access its services, individuals need to get connected to the internet to gain the desired information. Social media is addictive because it presents a system that the individual or company is constantly receiving messages that may require prompt response. Most businesses and organizations have developed a fan base that issue comments about their service delivery. This serves as a platform that boosts references to successful companies that may be required in event management.

Social media has found application by the companies to communicate with their consumers and introduce new brands through forums within social media like Twitter. Social media incorporates in marketing strategies as they offer links that can lead consumers to the desired brands. Social media develops the identity of users by introducing a system that enables their page visitors to identify likes. It endeavours to build relationships with newly found individuals that may not have necessarily been former mates.

Social media can be applied by event managers to access information about participants within the service delivery business that may provide an easy operational platform. Rookie event managers are capable of gaining experience due to the diverse procedures contained in social media networks. It is through accessing certain pages that knowledge on the desired entity gets relayed. Some famous personalities and professors witness joint participation in the user group of these forums. Social media can serve to sharpen the event management skills learnt in the education institution.

Through social media, topics that discuss the benefits and procedures used in the discipline to practical examples of successfully implemented measures. The students are capable to go to the place of the activity, and witnessing successfully applied measures online as they chat with vital members of the society. The interaction methods that social media may provide are in direct messaging form and video conferences, with a list of pictures to give further instructions on the entity to be applied. Education becomes easier, and research is fulfilled as members provide measures to complete tasks issued and examples are given. The advantage of social media is that it offers a relaxed mood for the learner, and may give a private system of education where the user gets accorded with personalized lessons by their contact.

Social media provides practical and intellectual knowledge in the event management discipline. It further cuts costs because it does not involve any expense in delivering services. Instructions can be easily issued to the organizers on measures to undertake to organize a successful event. Social media lays a platform that can advertise events without incurring unnecessary costs. This is because the event managers include all the details about their project on a page without any fee charged. The next procedure needed is to offer references to users who frequently visit the page (Deery & Jago, 2010).

Social media provides a platform for easier and faster advertising measures that reach a diverse group of local and international customers. The event manager exposes his services to a larger number in his quest to generate maximum profit. Event organizers get provided with a platform of exposure and limiting communication as it provides a channel to implement creativity in advertising. The necessary implication is the direct and convenient communication with clients as the terms and service principles get communicated. Once the event gets arranged, social media provides an interactive forum that boosts communication between the attending parties to make prior arrangements before the venue can be accessed.

There are numerous structural benefits in the design of this technology as it issues direction and actual images of the venues. Social media like Facebook provides a record of direction to the events and gives further instruction that may not be included in the initial agreement. The event management business can be fostered through simpler communication techniques and directional issue that saves on the time spent when tending to the event (Stratten, 2012).

Information acquired within social media gets applied to the managers in obtaining external services from service delivery organizations. In management, it is not a necessary procedure to implement personally all the stages to success. A successful manager employs the services of other specialists in the event to generate a compiled effort, therefore, holding a successful event. At a wedding, for example, there are chefs, decorators and music professionals to be employed. Successful event management incorporates these ideas to make a single entity according to the customer requirement.

Social media gives a list of a preferred individuals capable of delivering the services without creating a disturbance in the events. Through pages and groups that advertise these services, the event manager is capable of determining the right client to be utilized, and services they accord at a reasonable price. This would limit the transport and research fee that would be used through the traditional system of research.

Social media mainly applies safer and faster communication channels, giving managers a platform to get feedback on their services. These sites may be used to conduct research on the service expected and the cost the consumers are willing to spend. It offers better managerial skills through flowing information compiled over the internet. The important implication that event managers need to apply when utilizing social media is a polite language.

Social media promotes event management through its advertising expertise. There are calendars, shooting small video clips and designing posters that can be posted for consumers to access by the click of a button. These are the modern communication inputs applied to generate consumer awareness. Marketing becomes cheap through social networks because there are minimal costs incurred in communicating with the clients. Successful event management handles all the costs appropriately minimizing any expenditure that may threaten the budget. The most influential strategy in any planning process is the necessary information needed in its structure and the proper planning of the resources it involves. Socialization skills become bolstered by social media with the interaction of variable individuals discussing topics that can be accessed through search engines.

Social media’s role in event management can be witnessed in the planning and research discipline that is pertinent in preparing the events. Event managers can find further information on professionals that they incorporate services leading to successful preparation. Modern media has applied the use in marketing event management firms and created using feedback forums that lead to positive changes in the discipline.

Conclusion

Social media is a communicative tool that has driven changes in the speed of communication and information acquisition between individuals. Today’s most successful business acknowledges customer experience as a high priority for an organization. At the same time, social media plays a vital role in motivating the experience of a customer. Event managers get provided with a platform that encourages easier research programs in developing their attained skills. Through social media, there is the possibility to regulate information faster and get instant responses from the information source with limited barriers in service delivery.

Social media has helped in exploring new educational channels and explore new grounds that the traditional system dictated incurring extra expenses. However, the limitation presented by social media is its ability to promote addiction and lack of concentration on real development projects. Some programmes and ideas relayed by social media may be flawed and not applicable in real experiences. Event management is a discipline that incorporates proper planning and implementation of strategies that lead to a successful event organization.

Event managers need to be equipped with the latest software entities and communication devices that heighten their organization ability. It is through social media that individuals learn the implication of applying faster measures to express their desires to their target. Customer relations can also be built through social media as free communication channels are introduced. Social media, therefore, presents tremendous benefits in event management.

Above all, social media is an incredible tool if used appropriately, but it takes time and commitment. Imagine a situation where something goes wrong with a manufactured goods line. Social Media can be used to get a corporate request for forgiveness and report out extremely fast to do harm control. It also manages to get a report out even before the clients start forming a negative attitude. In simple terms, social media is a powerful tool. On the other hand, safety precautions have to be considered when using it (Mandrusiak 2011).

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