Home Depot on Twitter

A retailer with a very active presence on Twitter is Home Depot. Some activity is by choice, but most of it is coming from updates in the twitterverse.

The choice part is lead by Sarah Molinari, a corporate communications manager who describes her role as:

A spokesperson for your favorite home improvement retailer. I moonlight on Twitter to help our customers.

Sarah is an active twitterer with dozens of updates per day.  Some are answers to questions:

Yes, we order a set amount of most Holiday and Christmas decor, so plan ahead and visit your store early.

While other posts are proactive engagement with followers:

Pop Quiz: How many strings of lights (Christmas, Halloween, etc..) do you use on your home each year?

Now that it’s dark so early: Turn on lights in your home and walk around the outside. See light where you shouldn’t? Caulk, baby Caulk.

Sarah’s policy is not to DM, choosing instead to answer all questions with @ replies:

yes I have a lot of followers to catch up with, thanks for reminding me! There’s little I’d say by DM that I wouldn’t by @ reply

The effort is paying dividends with positive comments on the web:

Home Depot does monitor Twitter (and the web) and I received an email from Sara Molinari (Corporate Communications at HD in Atlanta) less than 3 hours after the my post.

I had the incredible opportunity of catching up with the fabulous Sarah Molinari, a spokesperson for The Home Depot, on her thoughts on Women and Home Improvement.

The other part of Home Depot’s presence on twitter comes in nearly a constant stream from twitter users.  It seems that everyone is either coming, going or thinking about a trip to Home Depot.

At Home Depot picking out flooring to replace the damaged wood flooring.

On my first twitter day.. I’m going to get my hair cut.. get new glasses & visit Home Depot

Went to Home DEPOT!!! Yeah boy!

Monitoring the twitter stream enables Sarah and her team to help answer questions that are posed to the crowd:

Okay brilliant Twitter I have a question. Does one need a locksmith to put in new door locks or can you go to Home Depot, buy them and DIY?

And hopefully pick up on feedback that may not make it into the normal customer listening channels:

Getting frustrated with Home Depot’s customer service.

I like home depot fuel rewards. Just filled up for $1.32 per gallon with my rewards .

Just got back from Home Depot. Late at night is the best time to go! Practically had the whole place to myself!

The takeaways from the Home Depot effort are:

• Establish a presence on Twitter
• Answer questions to the crowd while also being proactive
• Monitor the feed to find “lost sheep”, identify problems early and build on the positive feedback coming from consumers