[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1552502641605{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Have you created a Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter profile for your business? Are you using these profiles? If your answer to the latter is “no”, then you should be concerned. And even if you answered “yes”, this still applies to you.
Social media platforms are a way for you to connect with both your current and potential customers. Sure, it’s a place to promote your latest updates, product launches, or special offers… but it’s also a BIG player in direct customer service. This is where questions are asked and where complaints are voiced. If you’re not being a part of these conversations, get someone in place who can be (and properly prepare them). Not addressing these posts is a terribly missed opportunity.
So how should you be handling customer service on your social media platforms? Below are a few tips on how to interact with commenters in order to form customer relationships and transform them into brand advocates.
The Faster, the Better
If a customer is asking you a question, respond as if that person is standing directly in front of you. You wouldn’t wait 2 days to tell someone your business hours or completely ignore customer feedback (good or bad). Slow responses can result in lost revenues and/or imply a lack of interest in your customers (the people who determine your success) to a stadium on online spectators. Reply to people as soon as possible and be prepared to take the conversation offline – Twitter feuds are a bad look, after all. Same-day replies are your customers’ preference. That’s high bar to achieve, but if it were easy, as the say goes, everybody would be doing it.
Only Employ the Essentials
Interacting with people through Social media is time consuming and expensive- whether it’s your time or someone else’s. Don’t add more to your workload by creating accounts where you don’t need to. Targeting an older demo? Maybe Facebook and Twitter are all you need. Have a highly visual service or product? Perhaps Instagram is your answer. Research your target market’s social usage and compare the findings to your business’s needs. The platforms’ whose answers overlap are the only places you should be.
Establish a Personality
Obviously, personality is easier to display when your brand is more light and fun (hello funny memes and #TBT participation). But, even the more serious lines of business can relay passion, thoughtfulness, and positivity in an authentic manner. Find what works for you and exude it. And something that unifies all types of business is the need to show appreciation. Tell your customers “Thank You”. Say it often. Do it one-on-one. Outside of your website, where else are you going to find an audience that’ll be more engaged with your brand? The quality of your product or service, combined with true gratitude, is how you turn a customer into an advocate. Having brand advocates is what makes your business obtain long-term sustainability. Therefore your advocates value is insurmountable!
Providing excellent customer service on your social media is an obligation. Fewer are the days of people picking up the phone to talk to you. These conversations are happening on your social media, now. And the reward of putting in this hard work can have 10 times the return. Good experiences people have with your brand can result in public acknowledgement for the world to see- a positive tweet testimonial has the potential to reach thousands! So, engage with your customers and see the incredible impact it has on your business.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][mk_divider style=”thick_solid” divider_width=”custom_width” custom_width=”50″ align=”left” border_color=”#f06781″ margin_top=”0″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1552501487512{margin-bottom: 0px !important;}”]Need help reviving your social media accounts? Not sure if you’re active in a space where you customers are? Here at Decantery, we are happy to help questions like these and more! Contact us today to discuss your social media strategy and tactics.[/vc_column_text][mk_button dimension=”flat” size=”large” url=”https://decantery.com/contact-us/”]Contact us[/mk_button][/vc_column][/vc_row]