Real Time Engagement with Scott Monty

charlesriccardi It is touchy my friend but also something that you have to take case by case. We are all human at the end of the day.

jeffespo Indeed.

NathanRichie Thanks for the comment. I think it is touchy in all cases because you don't want to offend the community at large but also want to defend the brand

GabyMoran Good point Gabby, now would you say it was the salesman that put you off on the brand?

jeffespo It was definitely the salesperson, to me the salesperson is representing the brand, as they say "the face of the company." Even if the product is good, if the customer service is lacking I usually don't make a purchase (or at least I don't become a repeat customer).
I think times where you encounter difficult customers or individuals are opportunities to create strong advocates by engaging in informative discussion. And even if they don't come around, others can see your integrity and self-control.
Of course it is very difficult to keep your cool when others are very misinformed but have a strong conviction in their views or just plain mean, so dealing with rude or misinformed customers is very hard. But in the end I always admire representatives, and therefore brands, that are able master this.

GabyMoran I would also look at Scott's track record in general and not one isolated instance before making such an opinion

jeffespo GabyMoran Oh, I did not mean to imply that Scott is lacking in any way of self-control or integrity and I strongly apologize if my comment seemed to say so. From the comments posted here alone it is obvious that Scott is excellent at his job, and he himself said that this instance was just a little snarkier than usual. All I meant to express was a general observation of the importance of focusing on a positive share of ideas and did not mean to comment at all on Scott's specific ability or performance (which, like I said, I am sure he is absolutely wonderful at). Again I apologize if my comment was understood to demean Scott's work in any way and I think the does an amazing job of defending his brand in this instance. I do find the beginning of this comment somewhat too snarky and I used that observation to speak of a more generalized point. Again I am very very sorry!

GabyMoran No need for apologies Gaby, it is perfectly fine to have open disagreements and snark all in one. One problem with the written word is that you don't always get tone and sentiment.

Let's focus on the positive here. How often does a first impression make or break a deal for you {{no snark}} conversation starter that may be good post fodder

jeffespo With so many options, first impressions make a big difference. One could often and easily find competitors so its very important to put the best foot forward.

ScottMonty Scott figured it was something like that and by no means criticizing. At the end of the day, the response was totally accurate and I think effective. Given your travel circumstances, the quick reply shows how on top of everything you and your team are.

ScottMonty I'm new to Community Management, so I don't dare speak as an authority especially with you two in the conversation. But I'd agree with ScottMonty that it may be been a bit more snarky than may have been necessary.

I think you've always got to handle people in a way that always portrays your and your company in the best light possible. I've always steered well clear of sarcasm and rhetorical questions, but I do applaud ScottMonty 's willingness to step-up and defend his brand against false accusations. It's unfortunate that people take the shots they do on-line. To me, such an aggressive approach is even more frustrating because it's online and not in person.

I've heard nothing but wonderful things about ScottMonty and his success at Ford and I've learned a lot from reading about him (you, if you're reading! ha ha). But as I read the comments, I was surprised by his aggressive approach. I'm new to this, so I don't have the experience to justify my thoughts as an authority, but I was taken back at the very direct approach; it seemed more like an exchange between two strangers than the Ford rep I had read about and a customer.

All that aside, thanks jeffespo for sharing and best of luck to you and ScottMonty with all future endeavors. BTW, I drive a 2007 Ford Fusion and I LOVE it (this coming from a DIE-HARD Chevy Impala driver before my Ford!) It doesn't feel heavy at ALL, it stops on a dime, and 30MPH on the highway made the drive from Shreveport, LA to San Mateo, CA MUCH more affordable ;)

JMattHicks ScottMonty jeffespo I totally agree with Jeremy on this one. Granted, I do think that as humans we are all fallible, so there are times where we will not be at our best. It was a bit snarky, but I think that sometimes you get like that when you really believe in something. When someone completely ignorant comes along, and bashes that something, you feel compelled to defend and honor it.

I think that Jeremy is being a bit modest. He hasn't been in his position too long, but he is rocking it. I feel like he really has an understanding of community, and what his place is in that community.

Scott is also doing a fantastic job as well. He has really strived to humanize the Ford brand, and has been super successful thus far. His approach, and strategy has only brought Ford more business, and brand loyalty.

I drive a 1992 Ford Escort GT, and it is rockin. It's feels powerful, and gets FANTASTIC gas mileage. Another success story for the Ford books.

JMattHicks Best of luck running the community mate. I think the feedback is valid in both aspects and also shows the human element that is often overlooked when folks manage any kind of outward communications for a company. We often become robotic and lose some authenticity every now and then and it is good to see the emotion come back out as it brings the person to the forefront.

jeffespo I agree. Adding a humanistic element is key to setting yourself apart.

charlesriccardi Points well taken but doesn't it make sense that a human approach to a troll or ignorant commenter make sense every now and then? Kind of beats them at their own game

charlesriccardi Thanks for the kind words, Charles! You've been a huge encouragement thus far and I really appreciate it!

jeffespo You know, that's a really tough question. You want to defend your brand, but you also never want to get caught having any room for blame, especially in a 100% public environment. I don't think being snarky is equal to being human. Just because you decide to approach someone, even an ignorant/trolling individual, in a manner that shows now sarcasm or condescension doesn't mean you're not being human.

I'd rather not play their game, since their game is a game that is nothing more than provocative and instigative. I understand your question, and I definitely understand the emotion behind ScottMonty 's response, but I can't say I can get behind it 100%.

JMattHicks, Absolutely! No worries. Glad to be an encouragement, and I hope that it fuels, and motivates you not only to do great work, but to do the same to others. It's infections! :)

jeffespo Oh and thanks for the well-wishes with the community management, I appreciate that! It's been a fun ride thus far and having bloggers like yourself to interact with and learn from is the icing on the cake.

charlesriccardi Thanks a lot my man!

charlesriccardi JMattHicks ScottMonty jeffespo All of you had excellent points. I applaud the directness of ScottMonty and thought his response was proper in light of the comment that caused it. Charlie Han set the tone with his approach and ScottMonty came back with a strong answer based on facts.

Could Scott have been nicer? Probably. But I doubt it would have had the same effect. As a very green livefyre community management intern, I consider situations such as this as an incredibly valuable lesson in the subtleties of the community manager position.

It sounds like Scott has been doing an excellent job with Ford. Numbers are numbers - 300% this year?! Amazing.

Thanks to jeffespo for the informative post that sheds light on a touchy, but incredibly important issue.

JonHearty charlesriccardi ScottMonty jeffespo I think the fact that we're dissecting his Facebook interaction speaks VOLUMES about Scott's influence and success, and you're absolutely right that we can learn a LOT from him. I'm sure Ford's numbers were a team effort, but without Scott on that team, I question if they would have achieved such success. Not taking away from the rest of Ford, just being honest.

Again, it's a tough situation to be in, especially when all of the facts point to the OPPOSITE of what a "customer" is saying. Great insight Jon.

JMattHicks Glad to buddy. Hope all is well

JonHearty charlesriccardi JMattHicks ScottMonty livefyre Agreed Jon, great platform you have here