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The power of Twitter

The social networking service has stormed the business community. Here's how kiosk and self-service deployers can benefit.

July 1, 2009

The old adage "The early bird gets the worm" has become truer than ever for those in the kiosk and self-service industry. And by bird, we mean tweep. And by worm, we mean follower.

Confused? You're not alone. Although it launched publicly in August 2006, Twitter has morphed into the current mammoth version of itself, at least in the business world, only in about the past year. It's increasingly common to get a business card or e-mail from an industry acquaintance with that little @ handle or a link to follow her or her company on the social networking site.

Twitter's many uses

Different people use Twitter for different reasons. Many simply want to be engaged and keep up with the times — after all, this is the technology business. But if a user wants it to, Twitter can be a new avenue of communication, both with others in the industry and end-users, and it can function as a treasure trove of consumer insights.

Company information and updates: Similar to the association happenings Drain tweets about, some use Twitter to inform followers about what's new with their companies. TIO Networks (@tiobillpay) regularly tweets about new deployments and expanded capabilities on its bill-payment kiosks, while Ed Crowley of OneSource Interactive (@kioskgypsy) often tweets about traveling for business meetings and attending tradeshows.

Additionally, companies can tweet promotional codes for consumers, like ePlay (@ePlaySteve) has done for its DVD and video game kiosks, and even conduct contests via Twitter through which users can win prizes — weekend rental vouchers from Hertz Rent-a-Car (@ConnectByHertz), for example.

News and information: Others use the site mostly to share interesting news bits. Francie Mendelsohn of Summit Research Associates Inc. (@franciem) and Craig Keefner of KIOSK Information Systems (@gokiosk) regularly tweet links to industry news. Those who report the news themselves also have taken to tweeting. KioskMarketplace.com (@kioskmktplce), the KioskCom Self Service Expo and The Digital Signage Show (@KioskCom, @Digitalsignshow), Supermarket News (@SN_news) and many other media outlets tweet headlines throughout the day and point readers toward relevant content from other sites.

Connecting with customers: Perhaps most interestingly, Twitter and the various applications that complement it can be an excellent way of keeping a finger on the pulse of what the public thinks about self-service. It can be done using programs such as the popular and widely recommended TweetDeck, where users can set up columns for specific search terms and see every tweet that includes that term.

For instance, KioskMarketplace.com uses TweetDeck to keep an eye on what consumers think of self-checkout. The tweets range from glowing reviews of grocery store systems to scathing rants about malfunctions and long lines. Regardless of their content, though, keeping up with end-users' tweets lets businesses know what consumers like and dislike. And it also can be a way to make them feel connected to the companies behind the technology — all it takes is a retweet. Kirk Nelson of ArcaTech Systems (@ArcaTechOEM) regularly replies to and retweets consumers' comments about self-service technology, whether they're positive or negative.

Dos and don'ts

For all its benefits, social networking still can be a nebulous and intimidating concept, so for the business that is getting into Twitter, it's wise to heed a few tips and tricks. 

Connie Chesner, vice president and director of discovery at brandMIND Research Group (@brandMINDRes), offers a list of "dos and don'ts" for business Twitterers. She suggests they "aim for a healthy mix of education, entertainment and promotion" in their tweets and "provide exclusive benefits and promotions just for Twitter users." However, she says it's important not to concentrate too much on promoting a company or product. "Don't be overly promotional. Mix promotional content with other content," she said. A few more of Chesner's tips:

• Take time to thank loyal customers and express gratitude when they give you positive buzz via Twitter. • Don't over-tweet. Create a schedule to tweet at peak times of the day to reach the largest audience possible. • Follow others in the industry who are thought leaders. • Engage in conversation, both with end-users and others in the industry. • Add personality to tweets, but don't get too personal. • Make sure tweets reflect your brand identity and consistently represent what you hope to convey about your company. "This is important when you have more than one person managing your Twitter account," Chesner said. • Retweet posts from others when you find them relevant.

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KIOSK Information Systems

KIOSK Information Systems is a world leader in self-service solutions because of its long history delivering proven expertise in design engineering and manufacturing, application development, integration, and comprehensive support services.

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