Customer service? What’s that? Sadly, this is a question many companies are hearing from their customers. Ironically, a March, 2009 Forrester report says that the number of services offered by “service” companies is increasing, while the amount of money they are able to spend on customer service is decreasing. While the web offers several lower-cost options, many of them are poorly designed and often result in even more frustration than sitting on hold for an extended period of time.
You’ve heard of social media, right? Can it save customer service?
Of course, since so many products and services have become commoditized, customer service is one of the last things left that differentiates one company from another. Do it poorly, and your customers will leave. However, great customer service can actually increase loyalty and help your organization grow at a higher rate than most in your industry.
How should you use social media to improve your customer service? A few pointers:
Listen first. You probably already know why your customers aren’t as loyal as they might be. If you don’t, you need to start listening to what they are saying.
Engage. Unless you are one of the lucky few brands that instill a cult-like loyalty, think about giving your customers a reason to engage with you. Start by offering compelling content that is not about your company’s products, but is relevant to the customers’ lifestyle. Disseminating this content in social tools makes it more relatable and shareable.
Measure. Yes, you need to know if your social media plan is working, but you may also need this information to help you get more funding to fuel it, particularly during tough economic times like we’re living through now.