Twitter Lists

The latest fad to take over Twitterverse is the inclusion of lists. You can now add people to a list, or  a bunch of lists. The blogosphere, as well Marketing sites are abuzz on how Twitter Lists can help us.

Here's other people's take:

Measure influence: This is the one major point which people have highlighted. Influence has always been the major 'Pull' point of Twitter. Lists are being seen as the next big thing in influence measurement. So, if you figure on 1 million lists you are really influential? Or is it just going back to that old adage on Twitter: "Quality and not Quantity".


My take: The same old people will remain as influential as before. People will continue creating lists and adding people for other people to follow them. Makes no difference.

Where I think lists might make a difference are the following:

Tweep-Tweet selection: It has helped me cut the clutter, and I am now able to see Tweets from Tweeps who matter. It's not that I don't look at the other tweets, but my list almost adds as Google Reader; it allows me to read what I want

Syndicate: You can syndicate the feed from a list to your reader. This allows you to keep updated on relevant information and find good Re-Tweetable content

Suggestion: Your list can act as a good point of suggestion for new followers to add.Tweeps who you follow suggest other Tweeps all the while. Their suggestions will make more sense, than just randomly following people.

Build Personas: How about trying to build personas by looking at lists? For example: If you look at my list, research the people I like, you might be able to infer what I am interested in. Although Yahoo Mojo might confirm that I am a Concierge, Twitter Lists can help you drill down the information further.

Groups or Tribes: Godin talks about them. You can finally make them now. Technologists, family, people who spam, Awesome Ideators... anything. In the end, the choice is yours! It allows your information to flow in streams created by you. This again allows for control over that unmanageable Twitter Tweet stream.

These are some advantages I can think of. Any comments on what else?

Twitter Lists

Osaka Journal

Some random photos from Osaka. Two from the giant Ferris wheel in Osaka, One of Universal studios and another of me in front of Hard Rock Cafe (that's a first. My photo)

Osaka Journal

Vodafone Sucks

I've really had it with Vodafone. This post comes after about 8-10 complaints to them. Here's what I think about them:

1. Don't care about the customer
2. Advertise falsely
3. Don't care to respond back
4. Call center executives are always looking to shove off customers
5. Most call center executives are dumb beyond belief
   
6. Lack of communications
7. Don't want to solve problems

Complaints:

False advertising: They've put up boards all around my office, as well as in office, advertising .50 paise STD rates. To avail them, you need to contact their call center and top up a Rupee 49 amount. When I did call up, the executive, Anil, told me that there was no such scheme existent for postpaid, and even in prepaid, I had to go for a certain plan. When I told him about the advertising, he simply started repeating my rental plan back to me. After insisting that I was not a moron, and that I knew about my own plan, I asked to be transferred to the manager. Pat came the reply " The manager is in a meeting" .
This is their standard reply, and they have no other when faced with no answers

Billing: While shifting from Mumbai to Hyderabad, I made sure that I informed them that I wanted to terminate my connection. Their call center directed me to their store, where I did go to, in Mira Road Bhayander. After checking my outstanding, they asked me to pay that amount, and then confirmed that my account had no outstanding and it was closed.
Voila! Next month I received my bill asking for a further payment of Rupee 150. Though not concerned by the amount, I called them up, and asked the reason why I was being charged this. At this point I was in Hyderabad, and the call center in Hyderabad asked me to speak with the Mumbai one. So, I spent 20 bucks, called their center, and spoke to another nitwit named Saif. He was as usual unable to solve my problem, and as already stated, when I summoned the manager, He/She was in a meeting.

Connectivity: I was facing call drops, and called up, and got the same sort of dis satisfactory reply. Connectivity remained the same and I continued facing call drops

I am not alone though. I've taken some links highlighting the pains one faces when they take Vodafone. As I have told Vodafone, unfortunately, this is India, and I cannot sue them for these. Otherwise, they happen to be on of the worst Mobile service providers on the planet.

Other aggrieved customers:

1. www.consumercomplaints.in/complaints/vodafone-india-c19306.html
2. www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/vodafone-india-c33126.html
3. www.consumercourt.in/.../3340-complaint-against-vodafone-customer-care.html
4. http://broadbandforum.in/vodafone-india-mobile/52947-my-fight-against-vodafone-india-and-lessons-learnt/
5. www.mobileindia.info/.../vodafone-india-hutch-prepaidpostpaid-customer-care-info.html 

 Note: These are 5 out of 443,000 results in an India specific Google search. 


And oh, they are NOT "HAPPY TO HELP" 

Vodafone Sucks