Everyone hates customer service. Well, maybe “hate” is a strong word. At the very least, we can all agree that it’s a chore to call customer service. According to a Sprout Social survey, 90% of people have used social media to contact a brand. That’s probably why fewer and fewer people are actually dialing customer service numbers and instead they are venting their frustration about businesses on social media.
Some businesses might be terrified at this idea. Who can blame them? They might have visions of endless negative comments on their Facebook pages, Instagram posts, and Twitter feeds. That’s the wrong way to look at it though. Here’s the truth: social media is the best thing to ever happen to customer service.
How? Here’s how:
First, social media makes customer service so much easier for businesses to deal with. Now instead of a phone ringing off the hook or interrupting employees, businesses instead receive comments, messages, and tweets tagging them that lets them know what went wrong and exactly who the customer is. Sure, some customers will still call in using their phones, but as social media continues to be used by millions more each year in more and more ways, it will clearly become the future of customer service interaction.
Second, having your interactions with customers online and visible for everyone to see can actually show how your business helps people. When potential customers see that your business responds promptly and actually solves customers’ problems, they will be more likely to trust you. Trust is a key emotion a customer must feel before agreeing to pay you for a product or service. In essence, it’s public relations through social media.
Third, social media doesn’t need instant responses like phone calls do. Instead, your employees can receive a tweet, Facebook message, or Instagram comment, figure out how best to help the customer and then take the time to word their response. This lets the customer get their problem solved, the business look good, and the employees catch their breath before attempting to help the customer. Everyone wins, and it didn’t require getting on the phone with an angry customer.
When social media is used to help your customers, your business stays in control of its story. Controlling your brand’s story is really the best way to keep your brand image consistent. Of course, social media is just one part of how you market your business and your brand. Your website is also very important, if not more important than your social media marketing efforts. After all, your website is where people will go to learn about your business.
How well does your website tell your story?
Today’s consumers expect to have a flawless experience on the Internet. They want to shift seamlessly from their mobile devices to their laptops without ever missing a beat. Your website must be ready.
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