Companies such as Dell and Starbucks have created public facing websites for gathering ideas from customers. These two examples are powered by Salesforce.com’s idea management module, but there are many other options. Facebook is an increasingly popular place for people to interact with companies, so it’s a great place collaborate with your customers on their ideas. Spigit just launched its idea management app for Facebook today, but there are others.
Get Satisfaction
Get Satisfaction is a popular general purpose feedback software-as-a-service. In addition to the ability to share ideas, customers can ask questions, report problems and give praise. The ideas section gives users the ability to “like” ideas and leave comments.
Plans with Facebook support start at $49 a month. In addition to Facebook, you can integrate Get Satisfaction with WordPress or use its code to build it into an iOS app.
IdeaScale
IdeaScale is a heavily customizable idea management solution designed for external use. Users can submit ideas, vote them up or down, and leave comments. All paid plans, which start at $15 a month, include Facebook support. Our previous coverage of IdeaScale is here.
Spigit
As mentioned, Spigit just launched its SpigitEngage for Facebook application today. The Oakland Raiders are one of the first customers of the new service. Spigit has traditionally been focused on internal collaboration, so external idea gathering is a new area for the company. The company would not disclose pricing for the service. Our previously coverage of the company is here.
UserEcho
UserEcho is a newer player in this space. It’s focused on giving companies the ability to integrate its service across platforms by offering embeddable widgets, an API and of course a Facebook app. The basic plan is free.
UserEcho’s feature set looks like Get Satisfaction’s – ideas, questions, bugs, thanks and a FAQ section. Uses can vote ideas up and down or comment.
UserVoice
We’ve covered UserVoice frequently. It has help desk, a powerful API and an SDK for building its service into an iOS app. But most importantly for our purposes, it’s a robust idea management solution with a Facebook application. Plans including Facebook support start at $89 a month.
Photo by Bart