Social media isn't only a powerful way to reach customers and promote products; savvy companies know that social media also helps them provide highly visible customer service by solving problems and answering questions online. These days, multi-channel customer service can be a powerful differentiator in a competitive marketplace, and quality customer service delivered transparently and in (near) real time can elevate a brand from good to great. Conversely, reports of bad service can spread equally as fast and hurt business.
Are you wondering how you can start incorporating social media to enhance customer service efforts at your organization? Here are three examples of companies that are out in front, using digital channels to expand the reach of their customer service programs:
Tweeting the Way to Happy Fliers
Recognizing that call centers are notoriously known as a customer's worst nightmare, Delta Airlines now uses its Twitter account, @DeltaAssist, to help customers in real time. Established to deal with issues from the serious ("I just got bumped from my flight!") to the mundane ("How large can my carry-on be?"), @DeltaAssist answers questions and solves problems essentially as they happen -a welcome relief for travelers on-the-go. A quick check of the Twitter homepage shows @DeltaAssist has more than 36,000 followers as of this post. Customers seem impressed with the rapid response time and the fact that Delta's virtual problem-solvers are actually real people -each tweet is "signed" with the initials of the company rep who's tweeting, adding that all-important personal touch, plus accountability:
Buzzing About Facebook
Burt's Bees, the popular manufacturer of earth‐friendly health and beauty care products, is using social media for customer service, too. The company's Facebook page helps spread the word about its products, while simultaneously gathering valuable customer feedback. Love a lip balm or lotion? Burt's Bees wants to hear about it. Disappointed in a certain product? The company wants to hear about that, too. Personally, I know a customer who used Facebook to report a product that spoiled prior to the expiration date. Not only did the customer get a personalized email response, but soon thereafter, she received a replacement product and free lip balm in the mail. Engagement like this builds brand loyalty and helps generate positive word of mouth -all of which can be further amplified across a satisfied customer's social media networks.
Interestingly, Burt's Bees also recently launched a Shop & Share feature so customers can buy products without leaving the Facebook site and then easily share their buying decision with their entire network of friends. Burt's Bees can monitor and track important metrics, such as click through rates, conversions, etc., and also immediately follow-up with thank-you emails or page posts. Although natural products have become increasingly trendy, Burt's Bees is using social media to distinguish itself from competitors by using the power of the people to spread the word -just as it did when the company was founded 25 years ago.
Sales Go Mobile
Meeting the service demands of today's empowered consumer is vital to business success, and a handful of forward-thinking companies are turning to mobile point-of-sale (POS) systems to help. Mobile POS systems can reduce wait times (and the possibility of line abandonment due to slow service) and encourage faster, more convenient sales. Although Microsoft was using mobilePOSseveral years ago, Apple has upped the ante with a POS system for the iPhone and iPad. If a customer in an Apple store wants to buy a product, all he/she has to do is swipe their credit card on a salesperson's iPhone. The customer doesn't have to think twice about the purchase (good for Apple) or walk to the register (good for the customer). Apple instantly emails the customer a copy of the receipt and an invitation to provide direct feedback on the shopping experience.
Cross-Channel Communications and Customer Service
When customers need service, they don't care what's going on behind the scenes-they just want their problems solved. Facebook, Twitter, POS data and customer account details all must link somehow so when a customer contacts the business, service reps can access information from all these various channels and can offer meaningful help.
For example, classic brick-and-mortar stores need to improve the customer experience by accepting returns of items purchased from their online store. Service reps at call centers need to know if a customer has already sent an email regarding a complaint. The buying public can't understand- and increasingly refuses to patronize-businesses where the left hand does not communicate with the right. In fact, a recent article reported that one of the primary reasons for customer dissatisfaction, often leading to lost business, was "not being able to switch between communication channels easily." Take note. Channel integration is becoming more and more essential for both marketing and customer service success.