WWSMMD – What Would Social Media Marketing Do?

Background: I’m at the bank, and watched a situation unfold. I tweeted about it.

Here’s a blow-by-blow of what I witnessed:

1. Customer comes in, under control but clearly upset, as he had used an ATM to withdraw $400 — but the machine did not dispense his cash, just a receipt.
2. The person at the Information Desk tells him that, since he was not using a card from Chase, he needed to get his own bank to handle the situation.
3. They got his bank on the phone, and he was told he needed to file an online complaint.
4. He was even madder now; since Chase was not offering to rectify the situation.
5. He mentioned that someone behind the counter said “that machine is always broken.”
6. The Chase rep said they couldn’t put an “Out of Order” sign on the ATM.
7. The customer again asked for Chase to give him his $400.
8. The person behind the counter said “No” because it’s not their policy.
9. He asked to speak to the manager.
10. The person behind the counter, the same one who was helping all along, said “I am the manager.”
11. The customer left.

This is what I witnessed; I tweeted about this situation in the hopes that someone would weigh in.

So I ask you, fair readers, “What Would Social Media Marketing Do?”

It’s probably better to ask “What COULD SMM Do?”

(I’m obviously biased in my opinion, but not for a reason you’d think. I was at the bank waiting to get a Notary. I ended up sitting down with a Notary who then introduced a sales guy who wanted to go over my account information. He offered to help me with business stuff; he seemed flummoxed that I was actually working with a very helpful Chase rep in Phoenix, Arizona, on my business account.)

So, Chase (and any other company looking to dip their toes into a pool filled with their own customers, the happy ones and the rabid ones), here are some thoughts:

1. Monitor this stuff. Take one of these sales dudes and make it his job to see what is being said about the company, in real time, online. I’m not just saying Twitter (though that’s a start), but Facebook and YouTube and other places.
2. Get your booty on Foursquare. I don’t use Foursquare but that is beside the point. Location-based marketing is here, and if someone is audacious enough to announce to the world that they are AT YOUR BANK RIGHT NOW…well, saying hello would be a good thing.
3. Want to be my local bank? BE MY LOCAL BANK ON (INSERT SITE HERE). Tweeting from the Evanston, Illinois Chase Branch? Why not. In fact, I’d feel a heck of a lot more comfortable if someone from the bank branch got on and said “Hi from the bank branch, stop by and say hello.” YouTube is great for this stuff. I don’t care if 5 people view the video.

These are just a few ideas — I’d love to hear yours. Banks have a ways to go in this social media stuff, but I’d love to see baby steps.

What do you think?