If you still think customer service should steer clear of social media, this might change your mind.
More than 90% of Americans believe companies should be talking to them in social media. And 56% believe they get better customer service if a company is socially active online, a Cone Business in Social Media study found.
The good news: Many organizations find that being active in social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, etc.) has saved them money. For example, customers can watch YouTube for a demo on how to fix their toaster ovens. Or customers can find blog posts, where others recommend services that complement a product they already have. In both cases, the company never incurred the expenses of call or e-mails to Service.
Try these four tips to be more successful in the social media world:
- Assign the work to people who are skilled at it. Don’t just ask an intern to wing it online. Hire or assign people who can stimulate discussions, help solve problems and even deal with inappropriate behavior.
- Make the content dense. Post plenty of starter content and get plenty of contributors (experts outside of Service such as product developers, technicians and executives) who can add info that customers will want. If you’re already online and content-dense, update it often.
- Recognize and reward heavy hitters. You’ll have a relatively small number of community members who get heavily involved. If they offer useful information, reward them with coupons, discounts, sneak peaks, etc.
- Measure posts, replies and comments – not just the number of visits. If customers are involved, it’s more likely your networking is useful, practical and effective. If they’re just looking and leaving, they won’t visit more.
