A What, Why and How for the Brand Community Revolution

Social networks. Apps. Communities.

What do these 3 things have in common?

That’s right. All three are communication platform game-changers that have transformed modern business. But while the social platform and application revolutions were loud and well-publicized, the brand community revolution has largely stayed under the radar. Continue reading →

Community Management with Nick van Vugt from Uken Games

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Nick Van Vugt, community manager of Uken Games. Uken is a mobile-oriented indie studio based in Toronto that’s known for titles such as Kings of Pool and Bingo Pop. Nick has been operating as community manager for roughly six years, and has seen pretty much everything you can experience as a community manager at any scale.

Moderating audiences, keeping users happy, language barriers and leading a team which simultaneously manages dozens of communities, are just a few of the challenges Nick has had since graduating from McMaster University in 2011. Continue reading →

What Does Heart Surgery Have to do With Customer Success?

What is a customer success manager (CSM)?

Apparently, it depends on who you ask.

  • Some would define a CSM as a key account manager—a dedicated representative who makes sure this or that uber-important customer gets all the attention they deserve.
  • Others would view the CSM as an extension of the sales representative—their job is to increase opportunities for up-sells, cross-sells, and the like.
  • Another would paint the CSM as a beefed-up version of a customer service representative—a more direct conduit for customer support.

Continue reading →