We all know it.  We all see it.  People talk.  People communicate.  People complain.  People vent.

But technology has now provided a new venue for those stories to take on a life of their own.  They swirl around the ‘net.  Some become famous, some stay obscure.  But it's certainly impossible to control.

For companies who serve customers, the Social Media phenomenon has had a profound impact on both how you treat customers and how you learn about customer issues.  Sometimes they hit you on the head like a sledgehammer.  The question is how to respond?  How can companies address the challenges of Social Customers and take advantage of the opportunities provided by these new communication channels?

It's a bit like the Wild West.  A new frontier.  And that's why I'm so glad that Social Media Today formed this community.  I hope that The Social Customer can become a proving ground for ideas, a place to hash out approaches, and a place to learn from each other as we continue the march into a new, more connected world.

As a vendor, SAP faces many of the same challenges addressing Social Customers as any other business.  That's why we're proud to be the founding sponsor of this community.  We look forward to participating in these discussions, sharing our ideas, and learning as we go.

We'll share some of the ways we've approached this challenge, and also share our learnings working with our customers as they work to enhance their customer service experiences.

But most importantly, we're looking forward to engaging with you.  It's the conversations, the debates, and the relationships formed that will make this community really exciting.  Join the conversation!

What do you think?  What are the key issues facing companies trying to engage with The Social Customer?  What are the topics we should address with this community moving forward?  Let the debate begin.