According to the desktop dictionary I use, the origin of the word, “social,” springs from late Middle English, with its roots in the Latin word “socialis” — meaning “allied” — and “socius” — meaning “friend.”

“Media,” it is defined here, is the plural of “medium” and is “a means of doing something, or a means by which something is communicated.”

So…to take it the next step…we could reasonably assume that “social media” would literally be a means of communicating with those friends with whom you are allied.

And, it’s why I loved the post by my friends, Michael Benidt and Sheryl Kay, “Are You Snubbing Your Very Best Customers and Fans?”

I can’t help but quote extensively from the post: “Imagine this. Someone comes up to you in church, at your Kiwanis Club or at the annual stockholders’ meeting. Right there, in front of God and everyone, they say something really nice about you and your company. Then, without even acknowledging them, you turn your back and walk away. Would never happen, right? Wrong. And you’re probably doing it all the time.”

Michael and Sheryl go on to use the example where a company both they and I are fans of — Audible.com — posed a question: “What are you listening to?” My friends couldn’t wait to answer, because they were thrilled with their latest audiobook purchase, Roseanne Cash’s “Composed.”

As you’ll learn when you read their blog, the awful thing is…there was NO response from Audible!

But, want to hear the crazy part? Guess who DOES usually write back when people Tweet her? Rosanne Cash!

Look, no one gets it perfect. I am certainly not batting 1.000 at answering my Tweets…but, I promise I try. And, I know that Rosanne Cash — not to mention Audible.com — receives infinitely more messages than I ever will.

However, I’m hearing all of the time from organizations and professionals who want to know, “How does Social Media fit into our efforts to create an ‘Ultimate Customer Experience’ ®?”

Here are a couple of short ideas, courtesy of the great thoughts from Michael and Kay’s blog:

How could you ever believe you have delivered that type of experience for a customer you’ve just ignored?

Why should a customer believe you about anything else, if you’ve said you want to be their “friend” on Social Media…and then not even give them the courtesy of a response — or reciprocally following them — once they have connected with you?

“Communicating with friends with whom you are allied” doesn’t mean you do all the talking…and they just listen. It means conversation. It means relationship.

And that means — for many organizations — the stuff you have a hard time doing in person with customers, is exactly the stuff you’re having a hard time doing in Social Media.

Sense a common thread here?