Customer service is evolving; over the past years we have seen an expeditious growth in the development of new communications (primarily hand-held devises and internet based technologies), which has given customers a voice and an opportunity to directly speak with their favourite brands. Consequently, customers are wanting to contact businesses at a time and place suited to them, and they expect to receive a response promptly.
Social media is great for attracting new customers and building on existing relationships. As a result, the everyday business is more than aware they need to invest time and money into social media marketing through content marketing and customer conversation. But the average customer wants more. Customers want to ask questions, participate in discussion and be ultimately noticed. They expect the same quality of service in social media than from face-to-face interactions. And, if you refuse to acknowledge their social customer service needs, they will badmouth your company, influence their following, and begin a domino-effect of harm and destruction. Only the athletic, personal and responsive brands survive on social media.
Social media is an effective means of word-of-mouth marketing, business development and customer retention. Here are five reasons why you're doing social customer service all wrong:
1. Not Having an Active Presence
People join social media to be social and engage with others (sort of the point), if you're not actively participating in these conversations you may loose business. This may sound obvious to many businesses, but many retailers don't bother responding to customers queries and complaints. By not administrating social customer service, you're not giving your customers what they want.
2. Taking Too Long to Respond
Social media grants for a prompt and quick response but yet many businesses take too long to respond to customer demands. Studies show that a whopping 72% of customers expect complaints posted on social media to be answered within one hour. And, if no one respond within this time-frame, the majority will feel negatively towards that brand. This could lead for many to take action towards that said brand.
3. Answering in an Impersonal Manner
Although customers want a quick response, they need for this response to be human. If you have employed an automated and emotionless response on your social media which electronically pops up when somebody messages you, you're ultimately causing your business more harm than good. Customers want to feel comforted and heartened with a personal touch. A good tactic would be to sign each tweet at the end with the customer service attendant's name.
4. Distancing Yourself from Customer Issues
Many brands unknowingly influence a distance between themselves and their customers. Phrases such as 'we are sorry you feel this way' sounds patronising and condescending, and will not tackle the problem heads on. If the customer cares enough to bring it to your attention, then you must make it your problem. Also, if you require more information don't be afraid to ask for it. Never answer customer questions with a URL sending them to the terms and conditions.
5. Not Operating a 24-Hour Service
Operating a 24 hour, 7 days a week social customer service is easier for global brands. However, if you're constantly receiving a backlog of enquires and customer questions that you cannot answer until the next day, then you must state in your profiles the time you're active on your social channels (for example: 'we tweet between 9.00am-6.00pm'). Always try to avoid moving customers onto different channels unless absolutely necessary, if they messaged you on Facebook they want a message on Facebook not through email.