7 Tips to Improve Customer Satisfaction Through Social Media
To run a successful business, good customer service no longer means simply sending your customers away satisfied, but providing prompt service, even when a customer is not standing right in front of you. In order to do so, your business must have established social media platforms run by a reliable staff who posts updates and responses quickly and consistently.
Your business being active on social media is an opportunity that many other businesses miss out on. According to a study by J.D. Power, 67% of customers use social media as a customer service outlet. This is an important aspect to remember when running social media accounts for your business.
Below are tips to ensure successful customer service over social media.
Hire Social Media Pros
Take the time to hire individuals who know the ins and outs of social media. Though having a strong following on personal social media accounts is impressive, it does not necessarily mean that an individual is best fit for running your business’ social media platforms. Dealing with customers is a delicate process and needs someone who can handle different situations. 70% of buying experiences occur based on how customers feel the brand or company is treating them, including over social media. If you feel that your business does not have the time to keep up with the additional responsibilities of running social media accounts, consider outsourcing to a company who does. Outsourcing will save your business the time it takes to train and hire new employees to operate your social media services.
Listen to Your Customers
Understand what your customers are saying instead of giving general answers to their questions. Ask questions throughout the customer interaction and tell them how you plan to take action. Customers will sometimes offer complaints rather than questions but try to ask your customers to be a part of the solution to the issue instead of viewing them as the issue themselves. Create an effective strategy from what your customer is asking or quickly find a solution if there is a problem. By doing so, the customer will be more likely to use your business again.
Prompt Response Time
Social media allows users to be online at all times. If your business has a social media account, your customers will expect prompt responses to their questions, complaints, or comments. Be sure to be consistent in the matter of time it takes to get back to a customer.
42% of customers expect a response within 60 minutes.
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Additionally, do not disable the ability for customers to message your business directly. Customers should be able to reach out to your business and know that they are being heard. Ensure that the response promise times are accurate and stick to them.
Be Human
Give your social media platform a voice by responding to your customers with personality. Add the customer’s name at the beginning of the response or even your name at the end, but decide as a company what each response should look like repeatedly. Over one million customers view platforms such as Twitter to review companies’ customer service performances each week, so adding some personalization to your business’ responses can make a difference.
Use Tools in Addition to Your Social Media Team
Social media software such as the CRM (customer relationship management) tool can help your business’ social media accounts keep track of your customer interactions and other customer information. Though this tool is useful, do not let it replace the work of your social media team. CRM tools are useful when gathering data and integrating your business’ social media accounts, but customers still want the personalization of a human being answering their questions and concerns rather than an automated response.
Respond to Mistakes
It is sometimes necessary to take complaints down from your social media account in order to avoid conflict. Once the complaints are taken down, message the customer directly and work to resolve the issue. 91% of customers will not do business again with a company that has left them unhappy, so if your business has made a mistake, own up to it and apologize, ensuring that the customer leaves the interaction with your business satisfied and willing to return.
Ask for Feedback and Take Action
The best way to learn from your customers is to ask them about how they feel about your business’ customer service. 24% of adults in America have posted reviews online about the products or services that they have bought or used. Don’t sit there and do nothing when your customers write about your business. Instead, take action!
Good customer service is the lifeblood of any business. You can offer sales and promotions to attract customers, but unless those customers feel satisfied with how your business conducted itself throughout customer interactions, especially on social media, your business will not prosper.
Could your business use assistance in conducting social media services? Contact BlaineTurner Advertising today.
Sources:
Harmon, E. (2016) 7 Social Media Customer Service Rules You Should Stick To
Help Scout (2011) 75 Customer Service Facts, Quotes & Statistics
Infinite Contact (2016) 5 Social Media Best Practices in the Customer Service Industry
Ward, S. (2016) 8 Rules for Good Customer Service
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