Think about it a little and it makes sense. The two things that matter most in customer support are speed and accuracy. Of course, accuracy is something that has to be trained for and learned based on customer inquiries. But speed?
Speed is the name of the game in social media. Soon, it’ll be the same for customer service.
Social Media Is The Newest Plank In A World-Class Customer Experience
The biggest word in the customer care world right now is omnichannel.
It means approximately what it sounds like: You can never tell when customers are going to want you or where they’re going to be, so you just have to be … everywhere. All the time.
A robust customer service strategy includes at least the following:
- Email: Customers should be able to email from anywhere and get a prompt reply.
- Help Desk: A robust support system with ticket tracking is good for complex issues.
- Phone: The majority of older customers still prefer to call a standard phone system.
- Social Media: Social customer service focuses on Twitter for its wide availability.
Of these, social media is undeniably the growth area.
Modern customers wants to be heard and responded to as quickly as possible, ideally within just a few minutes of posing a question. Social media provides a seamless opportunity for them to do just that – without having to wait around or get hold music stuck in their head.
If your brand isn’t firmly established in social media yet, then this whole thing could seem pretty confusing. Using a few best practices, you can start taking advantage of the higher levels of customer satisfaction and retention that social media support can bring.
Not Flying High On Social Customer Support? Here’s How To Get Started
Social customer support is closely intertwined with an overall social media strategy. The sooner you launch social media engagement and content marketing initiatives, the better off you (and your customers) will be.
Here’s what it takes to get momentum with social media customer support:
1. Have A Basic Social Media Strategy In Place
Social media has a dual role: Promoting your content and connecting with your customers. If you’re writing a blog post at least weekly – and you should be – amplifying your message with social media only makes sense, and that’s where you should start.
Once you’ve got workflows in place for social media, it becomes much easier to notice and react to customers trying to get your attention through social channels. If social isn’t integrated into your business as a whole, it probably won’t work for support either.
2. Monitor Mentions And Hashtags On The Regular
Many customers will send a direct message to your social media profile when they have a problem, but others might simply “vent” without expecting to hear from your company at all.
Keep an eye on mentions of your brand name and any branded hashtags you post about regularly. This way, you can take action on complaints and turn situations around for frustrated customers.
It’s okay to start addressing a complaint in public – that can make a positive impression on your customer’s followers – but take it private before addressing the situation in detail.
3. Set Up Your Profile Bio And Header Image
Both your profile bio and header image can disclose important information to users about how to get their questions answered quickly. One reason it’s crucial to use them both well is because, quite simply, people are twice as likely to notice what you’re telling them.
Text within your header image is often more noticeable and more versatile than what goes into your bio. In addition to reminding customers that they can get their questions answered, you can also direct them to other accounts or valuable pages on your website.
4. Have Written Support And “Brand Voice” Standards
Your social media messaging should tie into a unified vision for your brand’s voice. That voice, in turn, should reflect how your customers want to be addressed and how your other content is written. This usually requires written standards be in place.
An informal, friendly, and personal voice is a very popular way for most brands to position, and it plays especially well on social media. However, that’s not the only way to relate to your customers or help them remember you. Consistency is essential.
Likewise, team members who will chat directly with your customers online should have clear rules of engagement. They should know, for example, when to take conversations to DM and when to escalate matters to others within your support structure.
Social Support Is A Key Plank In Social Media Management
Integrated social media management is the best way to make social into a reliable value engine. Active social media not only raises brand awareness, but gives your customers (and future customers) the sense you are working for them around the clock.
Some business leaders just don’t feel like they “get” social media. Others simply don’t have the time to figure out how it fits into their marketing strategy. Wherever you stand, New York Ave can get you on the road to achieving more with social platforms.
Our proven system to own social media includes:
- Unique, compelling visual content published daily for more shares and likes.
- Audience engagement with memorable interactions that spark brand loyalty.
- Fast and friendly responses from trained social customer service experts.
To find out more, contact New York Ave today.
