Company: Vodafone Turkey
Entry submitted by: Fahrünnisa Bilgin (FahrunnisaB) Online Product Specialist - CMS & Social Media
Community: Vodafone Forum (forum.vodafone.com.tr)
Lithy category: Marketing Champion
Vodafone revolutionized digital transformation in the Turkish telecommunication market. With a market share of %33,9 (Feb'15) Vodafone Turkey is in use of innovative online technologies and social media to service the special needs of Turkish mobile customers. Vodafone Forum launched in March 2012, as Turkey's first open discussion platform among competition is representing Vodafone Turkey with customer care on social media. Today Vodafone Forum is used as a marketing and support platform, increasing engagement of users through super user cultivation and brand advocacy.
Vodafone's super users speak up to the customer
Vodafone Turkey's marketing strategy in social media is to increase the engagement rate and use a humanized tone of voice in customer care. Lithium is playing a decisive role in adapting a super user program for brand advocacy. We have started super user cultivation in Vodafone Forum as of 2012 and gained our first super users through several strategies alligned with brand & marketing teams within the company. We have several super users creating thousands of comments and spending many days online. They provide valuable content and share their expertise on Vodafone products and high-tech devices. Most importantly they are representing Vodafone brand and answering questions of Vodafone customers and non-customers. Super users are referring Vodafone products to non-customers, convince people of Vodafone's innovative products and convert them to Vodafone customers.
Our marketing campaign
Super Users meet CEO
We have organized a program called “Kings of the Vodafone Forum” with our internal stakeholders brand advocates in Vodafone headquarters. All of the members joined have met with each other, presented their ideas and tested the brand new version of Vodafone Forum, as well as the initial launch of mobile Vodafone Forum. In the afternoon super users had a chance to meet and greet with our high level managers (Including CEO of Vodafone Turkey!). At the end of the day they enjoyed a dinner on the rooftop with a great view of Istanbul Bosporus.
Vodafone Forum Super User activation
As Vodafone Turkey we have divided our super user cultivation activities with segmented communication strategies. Last year we measured active employees on Forum and checked the awareness of the community, it was only 6% of the company.
Firstly an internal e-mail bulletin has been designed for raising awareness, themed as "What's going on in Vodafone Forum". It is highlighting 2 major issues about customer experience and appreciating active employees of the week sent to C-level directors perıodically. The sense of being appreciated and of competition is quickly spread with WOM in the company and started to gain organic user growth.
Another recruitment is held on company orientation program, one the greatest moments for fresh minds and open ideas. Almost all newcomers are becoming a member, they are very active about products and services.
In April 14' we have celebrated the 2nd anniversary of Vodafone Forum with a promotion campaign. In order to take benefit of the promotion, you had to be a member of Vodafone Forum already or quickly subscribed at the Forum desk using Vodafone branded tablets in our headquarter.
Campaign results
This campaign had very positive effects and we have gained more than 300 employees just in 2 days!
Heroes of Vodafone Forum
Following Super user activation in Vodafone Forum, the average time spent and number of comments posted by super users has doubled. With the employee activation program, Vodafone Turkey has gained more than 300 employees and 15 of them are candidated to become a hero member on Forum. Later on we have cultivated these users with e-mails and instructions, in order to keep them active and let them a Vodafone hero in the community.
