The Importance of Utilizing Social Media in Customer Service Activities

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Strong customer relationships are vitally important to any business selling a service or product. Whether you’re looking to stand out from the competition, build a positive reputation among future clients or increase the number of repeat customers you have, excellent customer service must be at the heart of your business’ communication strategy.

 

As the population’s behaviours around technology change and more people turn to online stores, customers expect convenient and easy communication from the brands they support and buy from.

 

This shift in behaviour has resulted in a significant increase in the desire for customer support via social media – making it one of the most prominent forms of online communication between consumers and brands.

 

What Is Social Media Customer Service?

 

Social media customer service is the process of offering support to customers through social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter. This allows brands to deliver customer service efficiently, proactively and with a level of personalisation unrivalled by many other channels.

 

Why Is Social Media Customer Service Important?

 

“Did you know 47% of US consumers have a more favourable view of brands who respond to customer service questions or complaints on social media?”

 

When it comes to providing excellent service to your customers, you need to be where they are. This includes live chat, email, phone and social media. Due to social media’s popularity and effectiveness with advertising plus its ability to facilitate seamless two-way conversations, consumers are turning to social media networks to request information and assistance from the companies they purchase from.

 

However, the instant access to companies on social media has resulted in demanding customer expectations – something that brands need to be aware of and respond to.

 

How Can You Take Your Social Media Customer Service to the Next Level?

 

  1. Respond Promptly

Quick response time is expected by customers with queries on social media. Make it a priority to respond to social media messages within a short period, and ensure that all questions and comments (both positive and negative) are acknowledged and dealt with.

 

Remember, your responses will often be visible to other potential and existing customers. Use this as an opportunity to demonstrate that you care, and strive to be as helpful as possible.

 

  1. Take Responsibility

Not every transaction will be flawless, but when things don’t go according to plan and a customer issues a complaint, you must practice accountability. Always provide excellent communication and do everything in your power to remedy the issue. With this course of action, most customers will be left with positive things to say about your company, and others will notice the steps taken to resolve the problem.

 

  1. Be Proactive

Responding to negative posts and complaints is critically important, and so is engaging with those praising your company through reviews and recommendations. Encouraging communication and dialogue with your customers on social media is a fantastic way to display excellent customer service.

 

At Anexa, we have over 20 years’ experience specializing in personalized and effective customer service solutions across many channels including social media.

 

By working in partnership with a customer service outsourcing company such as Anexa, you can guarantee your customers will find the answers they need, on the channels they use, in a timely and professional manner.

 

For more information about our social media customer service solutions, visit our Customer-Centric Service page here.