Last year was the first time we’ve recognized the folks on the front lines connecting with customers in a human way using online tools. It’s that time again this year, that on the fourth Monday of every January we recognize community managers. You can read about the first time we did this in 2010, thanking all those who are trying to make customer experiences online more human.
Interestingly, one CEO of a social media vendor teased me for starting this off last year, gently ribbing me “wow I have so many community managers, do I have to all give them raises?”, I replied, “It’s about appreciation, as we know they internally have to harbor a lot of emotional customers, endless work schedule, and are contacted from all types of accounts to help customers”.
It’s simple to do: On Community Manager Appreciation Day (Jan 24th, 2011), just send a genuine thank you to those (at your company, or someone who has helped you as a customer) that are working to make a difference in how companies build relationships with their customers.
Update: Citi’s Frank Eliason is behind this idea, Dell’s Bill Johnston, Heather Strout at the Farland Group, Alison a Community lead at Cisco, as well as Telligent, with interesting commentary actual community managers in this Social Media Club interview.
Physical Events Around the World:
North America
- Boston is hosting a physical event. (backed by OneForty, Social Media Club Boston, Awareness, Communispace, Fresh Ground Communications and The Community Roundtable)
- New York is hosting a physical event (backed by Katy Zack, Lea Marino, Vadim Lavrusik, and Zach Seward)
- SF/Silicon Valley is hosting a physical event (backed by Ant’s Eye View, Lithium Technology, and Altimeter Group)
- Austin is going to host a physical event (backed by Bazaarvoice Dell Powered Inc. SocialMedia.org Ant’s Eye View)
- Denver is hosting their event (backed by Dirk Shaw)
- Toronto is hosting a physical event
Europe
- London is hosting a “wild” physical event (backed by Blaise Grimes-Viort, Richard Millington, Arie Moyal, Alistair Sibley, Serena Obhrai, eMint, eModeration)
- Barcelona is hosting “Día del Community Manager” (backed by SMCorner.com (Espacios de Social Media)
- Amsterdam is hosting an event, with more commentary here (backed by Mathijs Van Der Kooi Director of Community Management at Dutch B2B community Myler)
- Switzerland is having a discussion (I’m not sure what it says) (Backed by Swiss Community Managers Association)
Middle East
- Jordan is hosting a physical event (backed by CMAD Jordan)
Africa
- Narobi is hosting a Community Manager day with a panel (Mark Kaigwa Soud Hyder)
Asia
- ?
Note: this started off with Boston kicking it off, where there are many community related companies, which quickly spread around the tech hot spots in NY, Austin, SF and then beyond.