For example, a while ago, I posted an entry as to whether to tweet or blog and my followers told me that some preferred the blog because is was a little “meatier” while others preferred the tweet because of the brevity of the response and a feeling of interaction and then my YouTube followers liked the see and listen format. Because of this, I use tweets, blog posts, and YouTube posts as well as my Facebook, Plaxo, and Linkedin status line to keep my followers up to date on my research and other activities.

These thoughts then lead me to think that social tools are just like tools in a carpenter’s toolbox where one saw is used to cut rough framing material and yet another for fine molding finish work and it is the carpenter that delivers the value to the customer.

Accordingly, is your organization taking a toolbox view of social tools or is it just trying to build a relationship with only one type of saw in it’s toolbox?

In the State of Connecticut you must have a Vehicle ID Number (VIN) check for motorcycles and certain new vehicles. Well my luck I had one of each. I used the DMV’s site to help figure out what I had to do which wasn’t that clear but I was able to figure it out after several readings.

One of my tasks was to have a VIN ID check which can only be done at a full service DMV location. The nearest full service location to me was Norwalk, CT but according to the web site they do not do VIN ID checks there. So I drove 45 minute away to Danbury to get this done for my first vehicle. Well my first attempt was met with a paper sign that told me the office was closed due to a national holiday on the following Monday even though the site did not list any Saturdays as being closed, nor did it list the early closing on the Friday before. So I returned on another Saturday and obtained my VIN check document.

Now I went on the complete the next task in obtaining a registration which was going to the Norwalk to complete the registration since I now had my VIN ID check, new insurance. I needed to go to the Norwalk office since that is where the lease company power of attorney title had to be sent to register the car. Even thought I have proof that the DVM had signed for the FedEx containing the power of attorney. The DVM could not find it because they file them by the State of Origin and not the name of the person requesting to register the vehicle (another piece of information missing from the web site). Once the power attorney was located we proceeded to the registration process it was then that a helpful employee told me that the Norwalk office does do VIN ID checks and that my long drive was not necessary and that they didn’t know the web site was incorrect.

So basically a key component to a customer experience is accurate and up to date information since web sites are being use to tell customers how to perform tasks. I would also suggest that you don’t think because this is a state agency that your company won’t let that happen to your customers. I find things like this on sites all the time.

How accurate is your site’s information?