Sony stresses the importance of not directly paying their super users, as that would fundamentally alter the relationship. The most important thing is to make the users feel valued and ignite their passion for the brand. That’s why they dedicate 40% of their forum budget to the bi-annual conferences.
So, what are the results?
Sony Europe has around 50 super-fans who each answer many thousands of customer queries every year, saving the company several £ million in support costs. The peer-to-peer forum has an 85% solve rate and most complex problems are solved faster than on the phone. It’s an incredibly valuable resource for both the company and its customers.