USAA hearing member’s authentic voice

Disclosure: I am a USAA member (customer).

USAA, a financial services company that has always been tops in customer service, is now demonstrating leadership in social media. One of USAA’s first fore’s in social media was the launch of Bazaarvoice Ratings and Reviews product on USAA.com. Last week I caught up with Tom Vaughn, Director of Social Media at USAA to get his perspective. In the short video, Tom shares what he has learned one year later with rating and reviews, plus advice for other companies embarking on similar path. Tom mentions the “authentic voice” -members and prospects wanting to hear and learn from other members; not just USAA corporate or sales. As a result from offering ratings and reviews, over 15,000 incremental applications for products and policies were started (in the first year).

Additionally, Tom and USAA are the subject of recent Forrester case study: USAA Uses Social Media to Drive Sales, Product and Service Strategies. Cited in the case study: “thousands of members have provided reviews, and USAA has used those reviews to drive product improvements, improve Web site conversion, and increase interactive marketing effectiveness.”

jeff_molander

But did social media / reviews really create incremental applications?

Thanks for sharing this clip. Much is said about incremental applications and sales generated by social and reviews. BUT... how is USAA measuring that incrementality? How do they know?

In most cases organizations do not know -- not because the don't measure but because they measure without estimating "hold outs." Those who would have applied anyway. What did USAA do to actually prove that social media did it?

I recently profiled USAA's @Mobile application which is an outstanding extension of pre-existing utility for the bank. http://budurl.com/g83c So USAA is absolutely a leader but I question this results analysis.
tomob

Sean:

Thanks for sharing this. Another great case study for SM engagement - in an industry that pretends that the lawyers won't let them do it.

Thanks -

Tom O'Brien
MotiveQuest LLC
seanmcd

Tom
Excellent point about concerns with legal. I don't blame legal depts as preventing companies from engaging in SM. But more often it is fear or ignorance across the company that prevents responsible engagement. Legal teams are in place to keep business from doing harm, not to keep company from connecting with the public. thanks for reading the post.

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USAA hearing member’s authentic voice