Paul Taylor

Paul Taylor

  • Can I Borrow A Cup Of Wi-Fi?

    I’m on holiday. I’m flicking through Twitter and sipping a beer in a village bar. Outside, some Thai kids are playing a game on the smartphone they’ve borrowed from their Mum. Locals pop in every so often to sit down… Continue reading

  • How Your Social Media Policy Could Kill Your Culture

    I love Social Media. But really, it’s not that important. Not compared to some things. I’ve begun to see a few posts suggesting that companies need to take more control over their employees social media output. That word – ‘control’… Continue reading

  • Does Social Housing Need To Find A Richard Branson?

    It’s May 2008 , and Helena Moore and I have just left the stage at the European Customer Management World Conference. We had just presented to an audience that included John Lewis , Microsoft and some young startup outfit called Facebook.… Continue reading

  • Top Tips for Meetings: No.1 – Don’t Have Them….

    About 18 months ago I visited a multinational company specialising in networking equipment. There I sat , marvelling at some of the most state of the art communications systems on the planet: HD Video seamlessly linking multiple sites , one… Continue reading

  • HEY , Where are you? – Why your company needs to Google itself

    I recently explained to a group of managers why they should google themselves. After the initial “what, me? I’m not famous!” responses,  they see their search results , look intrigued, and then get it – the dangers of a badly… Continue reading

  • 5 (More) Social Media Mistakes To Avoid

    Earlier this week I shared the post ‘Five Social Media Mistakes To Avoid’ by Heather-Anne Maclean. The following mistakes were chosen as her Top 5: 1.  Failing to use a photo or avatar for your profile 2.  Not completing your… Continue reading

  • 5 Surprising Customer Service Experiences ( and what they tell us )

    If you put “Customer Relationship” into Google you will most likely get a diagram like this. Which doesn’t look like any relationship I’ve ever had. Another January, more High Street woe , more stories of how customer service is declining.… Continue reading

  • Why Your Social Media Should Follow The Customer – Not Your Opening Hours

    Can you imagine launching a business in 2013 whose opening hours are Monday to Friday between the hours of 9.00am to 5.00pm? I’d love to see THAT pitch on Dragons Den. It would be insane. I can’t think of any successful… Continue reading

  • 2013 – Do we need a new operating system?

    My first post of 2013 has been slightly delayed due to holiday. I love holidays. Not because they get me away from work but because it’s where I can put work into focus.  The further away I get from Bromford and… Continue reading

  • The Connected Homeless

    “It’s amazing how nice their Smartphones are. Some would actually go without food rather than lose their Smartphone.” This quote is from a manager of a homelessness hostel.  Someone who has observed up close that, for the Connected Generation ,… Continue reading

  • Do You Love Your Customers Enough To Follow Them Back?

    “We are a live, work, play company. When we first started using Twitter, it was a way we could stay connected while also helping our customers if they needed it.” This quote comes in an article I shared about Zappos ,… Continue reading

  • 10 Myths From The Year We Went Social

    2012 – The Year We Went Social from Paul Taylor 2012 was the year in which the Housing Association sector went social. It’s very positive that so many of us have recognised the clear customer service and business benefits that… Continue reading

  • How Social Is Your Organisation? 5 Things To Look For….

      How social is your organisation?  Are you the life and soul of the party? Or are you perpetually in the kitchen? And what do we even mean by being a social organisation anyway? In his thought provoking post “Let’s… Continue reading

  • An Opportunity 4 Employment

    On Friday I was faced with a major dilemma – choose just one of three unemployed people , who also happen to be customers of ours , to be my personal assistant for 6 months. All deserve the opportunity ,… Continue reading

  • Getting People Online (Lessons from my Mother)

    On my recent holiday a surprising thing happened. Two emails from my Mom. From my Mom. Who , 9 months ago,  had never been online. I’m proud. But it’s been a difficult journey. This post is not about having a laugh… Continue reading

  • The Delicate Balance Of Online and Offline Influence

    “What is truly exciting about where we are today is that never before in our collective history has it been so accessible for absolutely everyone to provide their voice to the conversation. Where anyone with ‘humble beginnings’ can make a… Continue reading

  • The New Transparency

    What does having an open social media policy say about a company? For me , it says nothing about social media and everything about trust. Trust in your people – you believe that they come to work to do good… Continue reading

  • Digital Myths

    How confident are you using the internet? On a scale of 1 to 10. And how confident would you say the average user of social housing is? Last week , I posted about the myth of social housing residents and digital… Continue reading

  • The Rules of Attraction

    I was asked a question the other day: “No-one is engaging with our Facebook discussion. Will you have a look at it and tell us what you think?” I turned the question back on them. “If it was you. And… Continue reading

  • The Great Divide?

    Residents of social housing are , pretty much , excluded from access to the internet. If you believe everything you read. Grant Shapps MP once said Social Housing tenants live in a “digital apartheid” Martha Lane Fox has said that “Almost… Continue reading