After Christmas and at the start of every new year, thoughts turn to our reflections of the year past and the year coming up. For me and for my business, 2008 was an incredible year in every conceivable measure. This year, we grew from a new startup to a solid, sustained business with some of the best clients a guy could ask for you. As I predicted one year ago, 2008 was indeed The Year of the Kick Ass.
From the very beginning of my business, I’ve wondered how it should and could grow as the business and the industry matured. Marketing agencies, clients, and other consultants are continuing to get smarter and more experienced with social projects, which is great news for all of us in this space. Personally, that means that I have to up the ante on driving the industry, rather than just supporting it. To this end, January 2009 will mark a major evolution for Ant’s Eye View.
After months of discussion and planning, I’m incredibly pleased to announce that Ant’s Eye View and Sean O’Driscoll’s CGT Consulting firm will merge, effectively immediately.
If you don’t know Sean, introduce yourself. He’s one of the smartest, most seasoned people around when it comes to influencer strategy and implementation. Before starting CGT Consulting, Sean was a Microsoft General Manager, responsible for running the Microsoft MVP program. If you’re not following Sean’s blog, head over there now (www.communitygrouptherapy.com), or look him up on twitter (@seanodmvp).
Ant’s Eye View will continue to be focused on working with brands that are committed to taking a leadership position in their markets creating amazing customer experiences. This work will span organizational silos, from Customer Service & Support, to Sales & Marketing, to Research & Development, driving improvements at every customer touch point. Never before has delivery against a brand promise been so discoverable by customers, prospects and partners. We believe our clients deserve a partner that understands this transformation and is committed to building the most experienced, practitioner-focused team in the industry. Our practice will continue to focus on Customer Collaboration Strategy in the following key areas:
- Social Media and Communities: The container in which customer experience conversations take place
- Voice of the Customer: Understanding what customers and prospects are saying
- Influencer/Enthusiast Strategy Development: Finding, thanking and engaging the key contributors to those conversations
Sean and I are focused on nothing short of changing the world, through driving a better relationship between companies and their customers. (Want to join us in that quest? We’re hiring!) While it may take a few weeks to bring our web sites and other branding elements together, we’ve already begun offering joint services to clients, both existing and new.
Here’s to an incredible 2009 for all of us. It’s going to be a trying year in many respects, but for those who use this year as a way to establish better customer relationships, you will succeed where your competition fails. And if you need help in building those relationships, just give us a shout.
