BOOK.4. GROUNDSWELL,Winning in a world transformed by social technologies

Every single minute that we live we use technology or technology uses us in a way or another.
We use technology to talk on skype,on the messenger,to write different e-mails,to make bookings or purchases online, to read interesting information,or to finish the ideas in the blogs posted for studies,etc.
When we use these resources we become either the customers or the members , as explained during the class hours, of the sites we browse.

Technology used for information or entertainment is very developed and is related to many fields of activities,so I am trying to explain the meaning of Groundswell using the example of websites used for booking purposes(hotels,flights,etc.)

i.e. When we navigate through booking.com, to find the appropriate hotels to be accommodated during visits to different countries, we use to check not only prices,location or the pictures and services offered,but also the reviews written by the customers that have visit the hotels we are interested in.
Perhaps not in a conscious way the visitors of these places play 2 different key roles as following:

1. These customers with their comments behave like they are the employees of the hotel (when the comments are positive) and make a very good advertising of the places (hotels,apartments,etc) where they have stayed.
2. Even if in the first classification the customers played the role of the employee, at the end they remain customers and if they give negative opinions and comments they influence the image of those activities for which they are the strongest concerns.

What a mess! The customer is the employee or the customer is the customer when they use websites???
My opinion is that a customer through technology especially for internet usage are BOTH EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS OF THE WEBSITES THEY SEARCH.

The most important thing is TO REMEMBER TO BE HONEST AND USE THE INFORMATION IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE.

Ortenca Tuci (OTU)