If your business isn’t online, that’s one problem; if your business isn’t in the position to tackle customer service online…that’s another. Sure, not every mom-and-pop shop has the traffic, reach and reputation that larger retailers do, but the gap is closing in regards to customer expectations. Today’s customers expect some sort of channel to communicate to your business through, be it a phone number or email address. Growing still is the number turning to social media to communicate their concerns, experiences and compliments; we’re a digital connected society in every sense of the word, now more than ever.
And it’s not slowing; people are becoming enthusiastic about awesome customer service online, and it’s up to you to fulfil that expectation. Need some direction? Follow these three easy steps and you’re well on your way to some super-happy, rather impressed customers.
1. Craft a Culture and Experience
Your customer’s might not expect you to message personally on Facebook for questions to your answers, however that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider stepping it up another notch. Why not message your customers personally on Twitter? Why shouldn’t you partake in customer service that isn’t putting your company in the spotlight? Give some value to your responses and make users want to interact with you again and again. Great experiences only lead to happier, more invested customers, and that likely means more business and referrals for you.
You probably shouldn’t respond to customer inquires like a robot, either. Giving your brand some personality is the first step in making you stand out from the pack. Who want to see or hear another boring, automated message? Personalize it. Be witty, compassionate, thoughtful, truthful and real.
2. Be Quick, Be Nimble
Alright, so you might not have the absolute best listening software to keep you in the loop, but you still have your rudimentary social media feeds (and if you’ve got a smart phone, a million apps to choose from with push messaging). There shouldn’t be an excuse if you miss a question or chance to engage with the plethora of tools available at your disposal these days, and your customer’s don’t expect any. Accounts like JetBlue often have response rates below 10 minutes, which is often better than most casual users on social media.
People want to know you respect the use of their time, and nothing says ‘I Seriously Take Your Time Seriously’ than getting back to them within a half-hour time frame. Always keep your eyes open!
3. Go Ahead and Stand Out
Although follower ratios on social networks look important, they really aren’t. Likes and follows are a means to an end (in business situations, anyway), because they augment your impressions and reach with good, valuable content. That being said, having a good follower ratio (or really just more followers) does make your account appear to be more trustworthy and reliable, and that in a sense is important to your online strategy. Although followers come with time and effort (and we mean meaningful, relevant followers), you can improve your social image by posting daily/every few days with both status updates and relevant industry content. People don’t follow silent, boring accounts, right? Pump out good content and it’s more likely you’ll see engagement and spark more conversations.
Appearances only mean so much, but on social media optimizing your accounts for best visibility can really give you a boost.
