Earshot Inc. Launches Proximity-Based Social CRM Platform to Help Brands Intelligently Filter Social Media Signals

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Earshot helps businesses connect to current and prospective customers who may otherwise go unnoticed.

Chicago (PRWEB) September 17, 2013

Chicago-based technology startup Earshot Inc. has launched its proximity-based social customer relationship management (CRM) platform for brands and mobile application for consumers. The solution helps brands identify, prioritize and engage active social media users who are on-site or nearby the business.

Earshot helps brands intelligently filter social media signals, including tweets, foursquare check-ins and Instagram posts, to identify which users are at or nearby the physical locations of businesses on the network. Using a combination of GPS, cell towers and Wi-Fi, in conjunction with its proprietary location-verification technology and algorithms, Earshot validates the proximity of social media communications. The business is instantly alerted and can engage the consumer through their preferred channel, whether it is Twitter, SMS or a private conversation using the Earshot mobile app or a branded client app.

For consumers, Earshot goes beyond loyalty points and social influence to make a person’s location relevant, allowing them a new way to achieve instant status with brands and businesses. This leads to better customer service, real-time rewards and deeper relationships with brands through a new communication channel. Working as a booster to existing social networks, Earshot’s technology runs quietly in the background on a user’s phone to give them new status as they enter geo-fences of the businesses on the Earshot network.

Identifying all social media signals within designated geo-fences prevents brands from missing relevant opportunities for real-time engagement. In addition, brands can access geo-relevant data and other business intelligence for more valuable, actionable insights about consumers and their behavior.

Earshot is working with national retailers, hotels, restaurant chains and major consumer brands to:

•     Drive in-store traffic, increase transaction size and improve overall customer service
•     Address issues and mitigate negative online reviews while the customer is still nearby and engaged
•     Build brand affinity and trust with valued customers in a relevant way based on the sentiment or content of the social media signal
•     Increase brand lift through social channels by amplifying positive customer interactions as a new form of content marketing
•     Filter intelligence and insights into more actionable data by location, time of day and other criteria

“Earshot helps businesses connect to current and prospective customers who may otherwise go unnoticed,” said David Rush, Earshot’s co-founder and CEO. “A person within the proximity of a business represents a unique opportunity to build a relationship or uncover new insights from the consumer while they are in the midst of an experience with that brand.”

A recent study by NM Incite indicated that 47 percent of consumers actively seek customer service through social media; however, 70 percent of all tweets intended for brands go unanswered, according to LiveOps. Earshot closes the gap between customer expectations regarding social media as a customer service channel and a brand’s ability to connect with this valuable audience segment through social media. As a result, companies can now turn these missed opportunities into new revenues.

“We use Earshot because it provides an effective filter to manage the overwhelming number of tweets and social mentions we get every day,” said Justin Saper, social media director for a division of Lettuce Entertain You restaurant group. “I'm able to respond more effectively to a tweet that is within earshot as it's a guest that is here in real time and therefore I have more ability to improve or address his/her experience.”

“Blending consumers’ strict privacy requirements with their desire for geo-relevant engagement with brands opens up a world of possibilities,” said Rush. “Earshot gives users total control over the process so they can choose when and where they are connecting with brands on our network.”

Notable Earshot clients include Lettuce Entertain You, Enterprises, Inc. and CytoSport, the manufacturer of sport nutrition beverage Muscle Milk.

“We believe Earshot is smart, relevant and has the capacity to inspire new and meaningful consumer behavior,” said Will Holsworth, Muscle Milk’s Chief Customer Officer and EVP of Global Strategy. “We are excited to bring this technology to bear out on consumers from locations where our product is being sold.”

Earshot’s business platform provides an analytics dashboard, dynamic engagement platform, business mobile app and private communication channel. The analytics dashboard and engagement platform measure social lift when interactions are shared, provide data on real-time sentiment and activity levels at specific locations, and break down data by time of day and demographics. If you are interested in learning more about Earshot for business or would like to request a personalized demo, email info(at)earshotinc(dot)com or visit http://www.earshotinc.com.

Consumers can download the Earshot mobile app for free from the iTunes App Store or Google Play.

About Earshot
Earshot is a social CRM solution that helps brands intelligently identify, prioritize and engage customers who are at or nearby the physical business location. By effectively blending the strict privacy requirements of consumers with a more contextual, relevant communication channel for brands, Earshot is enabling a new approach to real-time proximity-based customer service and engagement. Businesses, including restaurants, retailers and hospitality organizations, can take advantage of Earshot’s dynamic engagement platform, analytics dashboard and business mobile app. For more information, visit http://www.earshotinc.com.

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