Thanks to Salesforce and other tech companies, the concept of “software-as-a-service” is one we’re all familiar with. According to WebbMedia’s 2014 Trend Report:
The ubiquity of affordable enterprise technology, an increase in mobile computing and constant trend towards multiple device ownership has helped catalyze cloud computing throughout nearly all industry sectors.
Mint and, more recently, Wealthfront, give us financial planning-as-a-service. Kahn Academy gives us education-as-service. But, recently, we’ve noticed a different take on “X-as-a-service”: Twitter-as-a-service. Whatever brand is implementing the concept, the formula is basically the same:
- User sends a tweet to a specific handle
- This tweet triggers the handle to deliver a service
A few recent examples:
- Starbucks Tweet-a-Coffee: “Tweet-a-coffee is a NEW way to send $5 Starbucks Card eGifts to Twitter friends and followers.” To take advantage of this gifting service, users simply connect their Starbucks account to Twitter and link a credit card to your account. Then, tweet @tweetacoffee with the Twitter handle of the intended recipient and that person will receive the gift card.
- Translation Services: One HourTranslation, a company that normally provides translation and interpretation services for businesses around the world, is getting into the Olympic spirit … and being incredibly useful at the same time. The company is providing free translation services to users (Sochi athletes, travelers in Sochi, spectators, broadcast viewers, etc.) across the globe in real time – translating directions, events, or news stories about competitions or athletes, or simply acting as a way to communicate in the local language. Users can simply log in to Twitter and tweet their request to @OHT for on-the-spot service.
- Digital Valentines: Just in time for Valentine’s Day, everyone’s favorite conversation hearts are going digital. From Digiday: “The “#Tweethearts” campaign lets Twitter users send a love note of their choice to sweeties. People interested in customizing their own candies can tweet their message to @tweethearts. The note then gets made into a screenshot of the iconic candy with your saying on the front. If you want to order the real thing, you can pay $29.99 for your message of choice to be stamped on actual Sweethearts and delivered within three to five business days.”
From gifting-as-a-service to translation-as-a-service, using Twitter to trigger, power and deliver a service is smart. And, odds are, these initial examples are just the beginning of an emerging trend. How else do you think brands can use Twitter to deliver a specific service?