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Using Social Media as a Customer Service Channel

Wednesday, April 15, 2015 Transeo Team
Today with 1.5 billion active monthly users on Facebook and Twitter alone, it’s no longer a question of whether to use social media as part of one’s strategy, its a matter of how. Depending on what type of business you run, social media can be a very effective and powerful customer service tool.
Social media for businesses has evolved from being an avenue of promoting their latest news, products, and services into a leading medium for customers to ask questions, report satisfaction or complain. It has become a tool that enables interaction between business and consumers on a public stage.

And because now the consumer - not the business - has the power over the brand’s reputation on social media, it is important for all businesses to offer exceptional social care.

Nike, for example, knows just how important customer service is on social media, which is why they created a separate Twitter account just for responding to customer inquiries and issues. They are very active and probably most importantly, quick to respond.

Advantages and disadvantages

Using social media as a customer service channel gives consumers a speedy, reliable and more personal brand experience. It also avoids the following challenges:

1. Finding a phone number - Finding a specific number can be tiring and time-consuming.
2. Calling a phone number - Wait times can be frustrating as well as going through phone prompts or being transferred to multiple representatives.
3. Sending an email - It often takes a day or more before the response 
4. Sending a message through a contact form - This is an impersonal experience as the sender would not know when he or she will receive the reply and from whom.

However, it’s not easy to leverage social media to provide customer service to consumers. It takes planning and a lot of work. Where to start? Here are some well-known social customer service practices to follow:

1.Deliver customer service faster speeds

With social media, the speed of your response is critical. According to a research done by The Social Habit, 42 percent of consumers expect a reply within an hour regardless of when the contact was made. They also discovered that 24 percent expected a 30-minute response rate.

The magnitude of a simple complaint can escalate the longer it gets resolved. Likewise, timely resolutions can calm the upset consumer.

See a disgruntled customer’s tweet after not hearing from British Airways in 7 hours.

On the other hand, JetBlue Airways is an example of a company that responds to their customers as quickly as possible. Below, a man named Alex tweeted JetBlue asking about their standby policy. Not only did he get a response after 3 minutes, he also got exceptional customer service experience from the JetBlue folks over at Boston airport.

2. Be reliable

A timely response is very important but the right answer is also needed. If you encounter challenging questions or situations, don’t leave the issue unanswered. Instead, let the consumer know you’ve seen the comment and that you’re working on a resolution. Also, always do what you say you are going to do.

3. Learn to deal with conflict

Dealing with conflict on social media presents a unique challenge because it’s public. A person with a bad experience would tag you, talk about it and make sure their network knows about it.

When faced with complaints, learn to apologise, listen to the customer and resolve the issue immediately. Aside from the concrete solution, consistency and follow-through is important. Use a considerate and positive tone when communicating. Do not argue a complaint by posting defensive responses or threats as they can all backfire.

Here’s an example of a response gone terribly wrong.



4. Have a qualified and dedicated social customer service rep

Have someone to monitor your networks for complaints and keywords related to your brand. Assign someone who is not just a tech expert, but one who has a background in customer service.  

5. Find out where your consumers are and be there

Know where your consumers are. Search for mentions of your brand on popular social sites. Most brands find the majority of their consumers on Facebook and Twitter, while some other brands may find that their consumers are on LinkedIn, Pinterest or Instagram.

If you can’t find brand mentions online, look for ways to include yourself in conversations relevant to your industry.

Never leave a discussion about your brand solely to online commenters. Remember that almost 90% of consumers are less likely to purchase from a company that leaves questions hanging on social media.

6. Have active, consistent profiles

Keep your company’s profiles active on social media. Being active enables you to engage with consumers and hear their needs in real time. Identifying their needs can help provide greater customer retention.

In addition, when visitors see a profile that is stagnant, they leave with a perception that the company doesn’t value their audience.

7. Go the extra mile

Don’t hesitate in going beyond to maintain your relationships with your customers to ensure their ongoing commitment. Monitor your social media channels to find ways on making your business better than the competition.

Always thank your customers, give them your time, and find ways to give back in ways that your competitors don’t.

See how far Morton’s went when author and speaker Peter Shankman jokingly tweeted this to them.

8. Be proactive

See what people are saying about your business. Even when the user hasn’t directly tweeted or asked for help, address their issue. Answering brand mentions shows you’re paying attention. Who knows, you may have just solved a problem they didn’t know could be solved! Being proactive also makes customers feel important thus continuing their support to your brand.

Conclusion

Ultimately, be widely known for your fast and satisfying responsiveness so that customers will come to you and turn their complaints into something positive.

What is your company's best Social Media customer service story?

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About the Author

 

Tara Bernal

About Tara Bernal

Tara is a writer, traveler, foodie and health enthusiast. When she's not busy writing or tinkering on social media, she's on the yoga mat practicing her headstand. She is extremely fond of breakfast food and adores beach trips on sunny days.

 

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