In today’s immediate gratification society, precious few customers are willing to dial a phone and sit patiently listening to hold music in their quest for help. Or obediently push buttons throughout a series of recorded prompts in search of answers. If your business hasn’t already engaged in social media customer service (A.K.A. social customer service), buckle up for a fast-paced ride where one blunder can go viral and massacre your brand by the time you say “tweet.”
But don’t panic! We’ve identified three simple social media customer service guidelines to help you effectively communicate:
1. Choose a Point Person (Or People)
Obviously, this will be dependent on the size of your organization. If you’re the sole proprietor of a corner coffee shop, congratulations—you’re the new social customer service representative! If you’re part of a large corporation with a full contact center, you can assemble a core team that will be responsible for social customer service.
2. Be the Brand
You’re not an automated robot. You’re a human being representing a distinctive brand. So make sure you’re engaging customers in a conversational tone that clearly and concisely communicates your brand positioning and personality.
3. Respond Immediately & Responsibly
Every time a customer engages you on social media, you have an opportunity to build loyalty, improve public perception and create goodwill—whether you’re responding to praise or criticism. It’s been said that a man shows his true colors when he’s faced with a flight delay. Not surprisingly, airlines’ social media pages have definitely seen their share of colorful passenger rants. So let’s take a peek at how Jet Blue—widely heralded as a leader in social customer service—has addressed both negative and positive comments on Twitter:
Ready to take the plunge? Dana Communications can partner with you to craft a brand-boosting social media presence for your business. Contact Lynn Kaniper at lkaniper@danacommunications.com or 609.466.9187 ext. 117 today to get started.
