Telecom companies operate in an extremely competitive industry where it's a constant bidding war over who offers the best coverage for the best price. Providing a service that is widely used by consumers requires direct, real-time access to customers in order to stay one step ahead of competition. Social media is, without a doubt, the most effective way of making a real and meaningful connection with customers.
Telecom companies all offer very similar services, so it's extremely hard to differentiate themselves from their competitors. However, a strong social media presence and a well-rounded social customer service team continuously prove to be powerful vehicles in building brand awareness and establishing a distinctive brand that meets the needs of their customers within a competitive industry.
Here are a few thoughts on how social media has impacted the telecom industry.
1. Monitoring the Social Web in Real-Time
Imagine you're T-Mobile, and AT&T decided to launch a new data plan just a few minutes ago. The fastest way to pick up on that is through social media. Social media monitoring is an essential tool, to not only track what is being said about your own brand, but also help track competitors' marketing strategies, product announcements, and industry trends. In just one glimpse, you're able to grasp what a competitor is doing in real-time, which allows you to react quickly and remain competitive.
2. Identifying & Targeting Tailored Audiences
Who is talking to me? Where do conversations originate from? What language do they speak? Social media never lets a single customer slip between the cracks. More than any type of industry, telecom brands need to know WHO their customer is to engage with them in a timely manner, or they'll easily flock to a competitor.
By diving deep into the analytics of a company's social media efforts, telecom brands can identify their most influential customers and offer special deals tailored to a multitude of target audiences. Through extensive filtering, social media allows telecom companies to develop a wide range of campaigns designed to target a large scope of people while covering an entire community.
3. Establishing a Communication Strategy That Resonates
Customers need to be updated in real-time on new offers, special events, etc. By engaging with people on social media, telecom companies instantly get their message across and LISTEN to what customers are struggling with on the fly and faster than any other type of traditional communication (website, telephone, or direct mail). If competitors consider social media as a means to bluntly promote themselves, brands need to seize this opportunity to interact with them on a personal, one-on-one level.
Unlike any other means, social media allows telecom brands to engage in two-way conversations. Instead of simply broadcasting messages, telecom brands can interact with their audience on a human level to discover every single pain point crucial to help retain a customer. Instead of talking to the crowd in a desperate attempt to garner attention, telecom brands nowadays make the difference by carefully listening to build customer loyalty over the long run.
4. Customizing Interactions & Ensuring Accurate Information
Telecom brands often have multiple interactions with customers over a period of time. In order to track historical information about previous conversations, contact information sheets within a social media management tool's built-in CRM system provide this comprehensive overview. This integration customizes future interactions and helps compile well-rounded profiles of customers to connect with customers in a personalized manner.
Moreover, social media teams need to be able to quickly pass on relevant information by giving customers easy access to valuable links via websites, forms, or other touch points to help cater to a streamlined process in collecting and providing important information.
5. Customer Care Is Just a Tweet Away
People obviously no longer have to wait in line at their local telecom store for help. If a customer's issue is simple, he or she can easily tweet to their service provider and receive assistance within an instant. It's up to telecom brands to capture this opportunity and respond quickly with relevant information. Telecom brands are able to give the same in-store experience by personalizing the interaction and instantly passing on the right information to the right people.