By Bob McFarland, SAP America.
In just a few short years, social media has revolutionized the way people communicate and share information. For example, as Twitter celebrates its fifth birthday, almost half a million new accounts are created, and 1 billion tweets on average are sent every week. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and others have given consumers the power to converse freely and publicly about their retail experiences. These conversations can impact brand perception and, ultimately, consumer spending. The customers control the conversation now, so unless you decide to get into that conversation, they're going to hold it without you.