Media for Service and Marketing

1 . A computer-implemented method for interacting with a customer, the method comprising:

receiving, in a customer relationship management (CRM) application, data from a communication made by a first person using a social interaction application that allows third party access to communications;

assigning, based on the data, a sentiment indicator to the communication according to a predefined scale; and

generating at least one output to the first person using the CRM application in response to receiving the data, the output based on the sentiment indicator.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the data comprises a user identity associated with the first person in the social interaction application, a date and time of the communication, a content of the communication and a location associated with the first person.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the CRM application displays in graphical user interface information about the first person that existed in the CRM application before the data was received, the information selected using the user identity.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the CRM application displays in graphical user interface the sentiment indicator and the data using filters that screen the sentiment indicator and the data according to predefined filtering rules.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

before generating the output, making a determination based on the user identity in the social interaction application as to whether the first person has a customer identity in the CRM application; and

in response to a determination that the first person has no customer identity in the CRM application, associating a customer identity with the first person in the CRM application.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the output includes a request to the first person for consent to map the user identity in the social interaction application with the customer identity in the CRM application, the method further comprising:

receiving the consent from the first person; and

in response to the consent, using the user identity in the social interaction application to communicate with the first person from the CRM application.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating a service ticket based on the data;

wherein the output includes information associated with the creation of the service ticket, and wherein the output is visible only to the first person in the social interaction application.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

creating a service ticket based on the data;

wherein the output includes information associated with the creation of the service ticket, and wherein the output is broadcast in the social interaction application.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the communication is related to a predetermined business and was made over a predetermined period of time, the method further comprising:

receiving, in the CRM, more data from one or more other communications made by one or more other persons in the social interaction application, wherein each of the other communications is related to the predetermined business and was made over the predetermined period of time;

assigning, based on the more data, respective sentiment indicator to each of the other communications accordingly to the predetermined scale;

determining a sentiment index for the predetermined business using the sentiment indicator and each respective sentiment indicator; and

generating on a display device, a visual display that shows visual representations of the sentiment index over the predetermined period of time.

10 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the received data is from an application programming interface (API) of the social interaction application.

11 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the received data is in one of the following forms: (a) Extensible Mark-up Language (XML); (b) Atom format; and (c) JSON format.

12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the sentiment indicator is associated with sentiment values comprising strong value, weak positive, neutral, weak negative and strong negative

13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the output includes a selectable link to a web site associated with a promotion, further comprises generating on a display device, a visual display that shows visual representations of data relative to the first person selecting the link in response to the output.

14 . A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage device, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, cause one or more data processing apparatus to perform operations for interacting with a customer, the operations comprising:

receiving, in a customer relationship management (CRM) application, data from a communication made by a first person using a social interaction application that allows third party access to communications;

assigning, based on the data, a sentiment indicator to the communication according to a predefined scale; and

generating at least one output to the first person using the CRM application in response to receiving the data, the output based on the sentiment indicator.

15 . The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the data comprises a user identity associated with the first person in the social interaction application, a date and time of the communication, a content of the communication and a location associated with the first person.

16 . The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the CRM application displays in graphical user interface the sentiment indicator and the data using filters that screen the sentiment indicator and the data according to predefined filtering rules.

17 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further comprising:

before generating the output, making a determination based on the user identity in the social interaction application as to whether the first person has a customer identity in the CRM application;

in response to a determination that the first person has no customer identity in the CRM application, associating a customer identity with the first person in the CRM application;

generating the output asking the first person for consent to map the user identity in the social interaction application with the customer identity in the CRM application;

receiving the consent from the person; and

in response to the consent, using the user identity in the social interaction application to communicate with the first person from the CRM application.

18 . The computer program product of claim 14 , further comprising:

creating a service ticket based on the data;

wherein the output includes information associated with the creation of the service ticket.

19 . A system comprising:

a social media server comprising a social interaction application that allows third party access to communications;

a customer relationship management (CRM) server comprising a CRM application; and

an integrated social media and CRM system operative to

receive, in the CRM application, data from a communication made by a first person using the social interaction application;

assign, based on the data, a sentiment indicator to the communication according to a predefined scale; and

generate at least one output to the first person using the CRM application in response to receiving the data, the output based on the sentiment indicator.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the communication is related to a predetermined business and was made over a predetermined period of time, and wherein the integrated social media and CRM system is further operative to:

receive, in the CRM, more data from one or more other communications made by one or more other persons in the social interaction application, wherein each of the other communications is related to the predetermined business and was made over the predetermined period of time;

assign, based on the more data, respective sentiment indicator to each of the other communications accordingly to the predetermined scale;

determine a sentiment index for the predetermined business using the sentiment indicator and each respective sentiment indicator; and

generate on a display device, a visual display that shows visual representations of the sentiment index over the predetermined period of time.