Rob LaGesse Discusses The Crucial Necessity Of Social Support And Fanatical Customer Service

Transcript from June 18, 2012: Global Product Management Talk
Rob LaGesse @Kr8tr Chief Disruption Officer @Rackspace
The Value of Fanatical Support™
MAIL: http://bit.ly/ouZN8J FB:http://on.fb.me/ncKUD8 Site: http://bit.ly/dESAcb Hear: http://bit.ly/nbw9Yr

Podcast:
http://bit.ly/LSDZvx

Links:
http://bit.ly/LgC2Gx

Rob says, "I love Social Media and how I connect to customers there - but
I call my team Social Support, because that is more accurate. We support
customers using Social Media - we don't pitch. Glad to address the Global
Product Management Talk, a great application of social tools in support of
the professional product management community!"

Rob D. La Gesse, Chief Disruption Officer, Rackspace Discussed The Crucial Necessity Of Knowing Your
Customer And Understanding How To Address Everything From A Crisis To The Everyday Question
Quickly And Effectively

INTRO

Many customers are sitting listening to hold music waiting for their problem to get resolved. Instead of stewing
privately, they are now airing their grievances publicly to anyone and everyone that will listen. The BP oil spill and
Toyota recalls have shown how people are using social media tools to give pissed off customers a new voice – and
it’s a megaphone. Knowing your customer and understanding how to address everything from a crisis to the
everyday question quickly and effectively is critical. We'll talk about some big flubs, how the ball was dropped, what
could have been done differently and the value of social support to help customers win.

Each week, The Global Product Management Talk features an expert guest discussing pre-posted questions with
the co-hosts and Twitter participants broadcast live over BlogTalkRadio. The transcript of Tweets and podcast are
available for on-demand consumption on the web, iTunes, Google Play and mobile devices.

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Host @CindyFSolomon is joined by co-host Tim C. Johnson @JohnsonTC with speaker Rob LaGesse
@Kr8tr

About Robert D. La Gesse
Rob LaGesse is a Serial Entrepreneur, Software Developer, and Customer Junkie. As the Chief Disruption Officer,
he heads up social media efforts at Rackspace. His passion is taking care of customers and he goes to great
lengths to do so. Though he was hired as the Director of Software Development for the Rackspace Cloud, he soon
realized his heart was in “who” they were writing software for, and not the software. He says he was building for the
Internet before we had the Internet, writing wireless apps before many had wireless and doing large scale software
testing before it was cool. However, he was unhappy building software because he wanted to build something he
could get feedback on NOW – like customer satisfaction.

Robert said, "In my team I am looking to get people that know the products, the company and how the company
works rather than them actually knowing how to solve customer issues."

Contact Rob
blog: http://www.lagesse.org
twitter: @kr8tr

About Tim C. Johnson
Tim C. Johnson is a Product Marketing expert and Author of the "It's About Value" product marketing blog
dedicated to ridding the world of MABUSHI (look up the definition at value-prodmktg.blogspot.com). Johnson has
20+ years of sales and marketing experience in software ranging from end-user applications to development tools,
databases, ERP, systems management, security and cloud. Tim is a husband, dad, Cub Scout and Boy Scout
leader who occasionally also finds time to do wood turning.

PRE-POSTED QUESTIONS
PreQ: Please introduce yourself, where you are tweeting from & your involvement with #prodmgmt

Q1 "What is "Social Support" and how is that different than Social Media?

Q2 How do you measure the effectiveness of "Social Support"?

Q3 What is required to implement "social support" effectively?

Q4 Examples of catastrophes that could have been avoided if "social support" was in place

Q5 Who should be on the Social Support team?

Q6 Why isn't everyone doing this?

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ProdMgmtTalk #ProdMgmtTalk The Value of Fanatical Support™ w/ Rob
LaGesse @Kr8tr Chief Disruption Officer @Rackspace http://t.co/bHaxGEcR -7:02 AM Jun 18th, 2012

kr8tr RT @ProdMgmtTalk: #ProdMgmtTalk in 2 hrs: Value of Fanatical Support™ w/ Rob
LaGesse @Kr8tr Chief Disruption Off@Rackspace http://t.co/bHaxGEcR #prodmgmt -9:50 AM
Jun 18th, 2012

ProdMgmtTalk Join @JohnsonTC co-hosting today's#ProdMgmtTalk w/ Rob
LaGesse @Kr8tr Chief Disruption Officer@Rackspace http://t.co/1rU5bAth #prodmgmt -9:59
AM Jun 18th, 2012

ProdMgmtTalk Please visit our sponsor @AIPMM http://t.co/0vIzm4IA to find out about the
ProdBOK & upcoming webinars, trainings & offers! #prodmgmttalk -10:16 AM Jun 18th, 2012

ProdMgmtTalk Intro to our speaker: Rob LaGesse @Kr8tr Chief Disruption
Officer @Rackspace Serial Entrepr, Software Dev & Cust Junkie #prodmgmttalk -10:33 AM Jun
18th, 2012

ProdMgmtTalk Our speaker: Rob LaGesse @Kr8tr As the Chief Disruption Officer heads up
social media efforts @Rackspace #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk -10:34 AM Jun 18th, 2012

ProdMgmtTalk our speaker: Rob LaGesse @Kr8tr passion taking care of customers: goes to
great lengths to do so #prodmgmttalk -10:34 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr talking about new release @Rackspace define "social support" team
of people caring for customers on any property #prodmgmttalk -10:35 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr group takes care of every internet property besides @Rackspace website - twitter,
quora, forums 180K cust 35K followers #prodmgmttalk -10:36 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr says go where ever your customers are - they're talking about you
there #cust #support #prodmgmttalk-10:36 AM Jun 18th, 2012

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ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr has team of 6 full time Lynx admins, Sr Support Engineers monitor social media
24/7 "BE HELPFUL"#custserv #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk -10:37 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Our co-host Tim @JohnsonTC asked Where did @Kr8tr find engineers who wanted to do
"social Support"? Answ: desire to serve #prodmgmttalk -10:38 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Our co-host Tim @JohnsonTC #ProdMrktg expert & Author of "It's About Value"
blog http://t.co/rT2JjCQ7 #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk -10:40 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr said CTO of major company tweeted "not keeping up w/search demands" Called
him on phone - found out he used bad plugins #prodmgmttalk -10:41 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Next day, CTO wrote full blog post about how delighted he was
with @Rackspace support - @Kr8tr turned him around by listening #prodmgmttalk -10:41 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Now: Value of Fanatical Support™ w/ Rob LaGesse @Kr8tr Chief Disruption
Officer @Rackspace http://t.co/1rU5bAth #prodmgmttalk -10:42 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr says most companies only care about ROI - first 18 mos measured ROI on
customer smiles & nothing else @Rackspace #prodmgmttalk -10:42 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr says head of company was Exec sponsor of creating social media @Rackspace -
need senior leadership sponsor for success #prodmgmttalk -10:43 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr says must pick right people for #social support team - work 24/7 from 3:30 AM -
talk to customers & #rackers #prodmgmttalk -10:44 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Need to have realistic goals - won't drive revenue until have significant # of followers for
social support #prodmgmt #social #prodmgmttalk -10:44 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr says gets followers from being helpful - only creates helpful content & won't share
marketing fluff or push product #prodmgmttalk -10:45 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @JohnsonTC says @Kr8tr is talking aligned with his blog Its about
value http://t.co/WvaeoVSs #prodmrktg#prodmgmttalk -10:46 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr learned "never share the twitter password to company account with anyone"
knowing who's saying what is important #soc #prodmgmttalk -10:47 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr built in-house tool for managing twitter accounts & uses separate applications for
biz & personal accounts #social #prodmgmttalk -10:48 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Today's background resources:http://t.co/rdSM26bU Fanatical Support™ w/ Rob
LaGesse@Kr8tr Chief Disruption Off @Rackspace #prodmgmttalk -10:48 AM Jun 18th, 2012

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ProdMgmtTalk Lessons: Don't overpromise to customers or bosses - set minimal enuf to still sell
idea #social #mediastart small #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk -10:49 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr said 3 yrs ago wouldn't believe how many on team & how much revenue driving -
also do events, travel & speak alot #prodmgmttalk -10:50 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Awesome: @Kr8tr tweets his personal phone number so customers can always find him
so he can always help them #custserv #prodmgmttalk -10:51 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Thank you to today's sponsor: Follow @AIPMM & visit http://t.co/0vIzm4IA for upcoming
webinars, trainings & news #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk -10:52 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr welcomes customers & even just geeks who eventually become customers - he'll
make personal comments to know them better #prodmgmttalk -10:53 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr listens to customers "broken coffee cups" sent a case of cups to customer
unexpected - generated more than $12 results! #prodmgmttalk -10:54 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk WOW!!! @Kr8tr knew customer honeymooning in Hawaii & sent flowers & champagne to
their hotel from @Rackspace #prodmgmttalk -10:55 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk That customer now spending 100X more - not because of gift from @Rackspace, but
because they grew & felt appreciated #prodmgmttalk -10:56 AM Jun 18th, 2012

ProdMgmtTalk Outstanding! @Kr8tr knew customer broken down RV & got pizza delivered to them out
on the road #custserv#prodmgmttalk -10:57 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @JohnsonTC says obviously @Kr8tr had#custserv built into DNA @Rackspace from
beginning#prodmrktg #social #prodmgmttalk -10:58 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Q: Who else besides technical people should be on support team? A: @Kr8tr says also
have marketing people - but not his team #prodmgmttalk -10:59 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr hiring 100 PEOPLE per month - get 1000 resumes for every person they hire -
hard to find Rackers passionate #prodmgmttalk -11:00 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr says internal hires already helping people - uses engineers so team can solve
technical problems on the fly #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk -11:01 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr extremely involved in marketing - he initiated partnering w/ startup incubators &
excellerators & mentorships #startups #prodmgmttalk -11:01 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @kr8tr very involved with #prodmrktg & hired@Scobleblog initially prior to him
doing #social #media#prodmgmttalk -11:02 AM Jun 18th, 2012

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ProdMgmtTalk our speaker: Rob LaGesse @Kr8tr initially hired as Director of Software Development
for @Rackspace Cloud #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk -11:03 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @kr8tr says most companies are "pushing" NOT "listening" - more companies don't do
this since #social media used by #PR #Mrktg #prodmgmttalk -11:04 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Support focused people have different goals for #social media than #PR & # Mrktg
#prodmgmttalk -11:04 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @JohnsonTC asking tough questions: how do you measure #social support team
success? #prodmgmt @Kr8tremotional pay by helping #prodmgmttalk -11:05 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @Kr8tr team members' reward is a happy customer - they're intrinsically motivated to
help to get onto team to begin with #prodmgmttalk -11:06 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @kr8tr "my people aren't motivated by trinkets, they want to change world one customer
at a time. We keep it fun" @Rackspace #prodmgmttalk -11:07 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @JohnsonTC asks What are impediments to other companies doing this with their
team? #social #support #prodmgmttalk -11:08 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @kr8tr says companies short sighted, don't know how to do it, afraid. Evry company
should have #social support channel #prodmgmttalk -11:08 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Example: Audi doesn't have #social support - primary goal of their channel is to drive
sales. "Its important to separate" #prodmgmttalk -11:09 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk "If your web server is down & you go on twitter to complain, you're angry & in pain - you
don't want to see an ad pop up" #prodmgmttalk -11:10 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Manage account credentials closely to look & make sure you know what's going on with
customers before you tweet - #prodmgmttalk -11:11 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk With 180K customers, likely at least 1 having a problem at any minute. @kr8tr loves
talking to angry customers#custserv #prodmgmttalk -11:12 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @kr8tr feels a sense of accomplishment if he talks with angry customer & they feel
listened to - become passionate customers #prodmgmttalk -11:12 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @JohnsonTC says if customers aren't calling you - they're happy or not unhappy enuf to
call @kr8tr they're calling competitors #prodmgmttalk -11:13 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Advice from @kr8tr stick to "BE HELPFUL" in every instance & tweet. KNOW & Engage
w/customers - don't talk AT them #custserv #prodmgmttalk -11:14 AM Jun 18th, 2012

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ProdMgmtTalk Advice from @kr8tr "BE HUMAN" in all endeavors - don't pre-program any tweets, typed
by humans in the moment for #custserv #prodmgmttalk -11:14 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @JohnsonTC it aligns with your "NO Mabushi" ! Be human, provide value, listen, engage,
don't sell, solve problems #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk -11:15 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Separate business & personal accounts. Its the corporate account, but its a human being
behind that account that engages #prodmgmttalk -11:16 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk @kr8tr got title of Chief Disruption Officer because he fights for customers - woke
chairman up at 3 AM to help customer #prodmgmttalk -11:17 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Chairman gave @Kr8tr big lever to use - he'll raise hell for customers & takes no
prisoners. Takes time to build portfolio #prodmgmttalk -11:18 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Thank you so much Rob @Kr8tr for speaking today! Now appreciate what Rackers are all
excited about! #social #support #prodmgmttalk -11:24 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Also, I think that "product people" are also caring people regarding the quality & integrity
of the products developed #prodmgmttalk -11:25 AM Jun 18th, 2012
ProdMgmtTalk Thank you Tim @JohnsonTC for excellent co-hosting & great questions for today's talk
w/ @Kr8tr #prodmgmttalk -11:25 AM Jun 18th, 2012
JohnsonTC Thanks, Cindy. I had a blast RT @ProdMgmtTalk: Thank you Tim @JohnsonTC for co-
hosting & great ?'s for today's talk w/ @Kr8tr #prodmgmttalk -11:26 AM Jun 18th, 2012
kr8tr Thanks guys for great talk

ProdMgmtTalk Thank you to our sponsor @AIPMM Upcoming webinar: Why AIPMM Membership Boosts
Your Productivity http://t.co/fT1xCwnf #prodmgmt #prodmgmttalk -11:29 AM Jun 18th, 2012

ProdMgmtTalk Listen iTunes http://t.co/j02TOPNR Android Apphttp://t.co/4owrgJup Follow Blogtalkradio
for reminders http://t.co/rgViu7aT #prodmgmttalk -11:30 AM Jun 18th, 2012

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Rob LaGesse Discusses The Crucial Necessity Of Social Support And Fanatical Customer Service

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