Nobody wants to get ripped off…

I spend most of my time in Malaysia working with one of our teams here but being an ‘outsider’ always makes you feel like you have a target on your back saying, “Take advantage of me.”  So out of general ignorance of the cost of goods and services here I have inevitably been taken advantage of and ripped off.  They have a term here called “potong kepala” which literally means, ” getting your head chopped off” and they use the same term for paying too much for something.

As one who ‘has had his head chopped off once or twice’ I have learned that the best way to avoid the axe is to talk to local friends and neighbors and ask for their advice about who I should use and what I should pay.  So now when I need a plumber to get my bathroom fixed I ask around and find out who to call and what I should pay.  This saves me time, money and most importantly, my bathroom gets fixed.  Ah ha!

Herein lies the potential of social media.  Using the combined knowledge base of their social media networks people now have a relational way of obtaining what they need.  Just as I ask my neighbor about what plumber to use, people can ask their networks about products and services and get real feedback, in real time, from people they know and trust.  This then allows them to make informed decisions about whose products and services they use.  This is particularly important for obtaining services which not as easy to objectively quantify.

For example, you have a business that needs a website, how are you going to find a company to do the project?  Google search?  That may help but it’s pretty much like looking at a phone book and wondering which plumber to call. You want quality, but do not want to pay a fortune.  But how can you tell who can do a good job for a fair price?    Why not ask a friend or fellow business colleague on LinkedIn or Facebook or Twitter?  The chances are there are people in your network who could get you pointed in a direction which will help you make a better decision about your website investment.   This is the power of relationships and all you have to do is flex it.

So what are you waiting for?  Jump in!  Take advantage of resources and knowledge that is already a part of you.  Use social media to re-establish relationships with long lost friends and business associates and then mutually help one another as you go along.  Social media will not hurt you, in fact, it may save your neck.