Before the social media era played an essential role to an enterprise's expansion, providing customer service was limited to correspondences through telephone, post, and e-mail. Back then, there were transactions that went on for as long as a couple of days that it drove a lot of customers to either waiting a long while or giving up on the brand altogether. On the one hand, there were also those who were patient and loyal enough to go through the entire shebang until they were given solutions and their concerns were completely addressed.
These days aren't completely over per se as the aforementioned methods remain as options for customers to communicate with merchants. However, the pervasiveness of social media has virtually dominated the way entrepreneurs attend to their customers' issues. Many business owners took it upon themselves to subscribe to basic social networking sites not just to use it as an outlet to sell further but also to enhance the way they render customer service. You too have probably enlisted social media as a means to response to your clients. The question is whether you're doing it right.
In the off-chance that you aren't, you don't have to worry. Here are seven ways you can strengthen your customer service efforts with the help of social media.
Accommodate orders or reservations.
A lot of people have developed some degree of dependency on social media to answer their questions especially now that nearly every brand has a Facebook and Twitter account. For instance, some customers check a restaurant's menu posted on its Facebook and when they see whatever dish they're looking for, that's when they will make a reservation.
Make room for orders and arrangements desired by your customers on your social networking accounts. When they ask questions pertinent to reservations, reply to them in public but proceed with the transactions through private messages.
Address complaints.
As far as your customers are concerned, to rave about a satisfying experience is as easy –if not more than—to rant about its polar opposite. It doesn't stop there as netizens can complain not only on their social media walls but also on your business' account. While these circumstances are often inevitable, you can do something to control the damage it can cause.
In situations where customers take it out on social media their bitter experiences, acknowledge their situation and let them know that you'll provide them the assistance they need. You should also ask them specific details about their concerns. In other cases, you can also offer them an alternative product that can help address their concern.
Educate your followers.
When you interact with your customers in social media, they are happy; but when you give them something else (especially when it's free), they are thrilled. Make social media a vehicle to carry information that reflects your brand and your audience can relate to. You can do so by creating ingenious images, videos, or infographics that contain interesting material such as trivia, tutorials, and techniques. These media also happen to be shareable so spreading the word about your business and what you're good at is going to be easy.
Include a chat widget on your website.
Aside from your social media accounts, customers also refer to your website when they need to look something up, say a branch's location or product availability. The only time they will contact you through phone (at times, reluctantly, and that is if they haven't given up yet) is when they can't find what they're looking for. So apart from making important information available on your social media dashboards and your website, you can also embed a chat widget so that it will be easier for your customers to get in touch with you. Chatting eliminates the need to step away from the computer making this mode of conversation a much more convenient option.
Repost your followers and fans.
It's common practice among customers not just to share their experiences on social media but also to take photos of themselves while relishing these events. Make these encounters more gratifying by reposting their posts or pressing the Like button nearby. Doing this will make your customers feel valued because they will that your interest in their feedback or reaction. Also, when they see that you're quick to respond to their posts, they will remember that they can count on your social media accounts whenever they need to inquire about something.
It is also important to remember that social media is a double-edged sword. While its manageability and versatility can work to your company's advantage, a nasty comment can make the impression that your product or service is crappy. Thus, it's always advisable to exercise moderation as well as precaution when dealing with customers through this platform. Ultimately, you need to make sure that your merchandise of good quality so that your customers won't hesitate to laud you in online locales where you're visible.
These days aren't completely over per se as the aforementioned methods remain as options for customers to communicate with merchants. However, the pervasiveness of social media has virtually dominated the way entrepreneurs attend to their customers' issues. Many business owners took it upon themselves to subscribe to basic social networking sites not just to use it as an outlet to sell further but also to enhance the way they render customer service. You too have probably enlisted social media as a means to response to your clients. The question is whether you're doing it right.
In the off-chance that you aren't, you don't have to worry. Here are seven ways you can strengthen your customer service efforts with the help of social media.
Accommodate orders or reservations.
A lot of people have developed some degree of dependency on social media to answer their questions especially now that nearly every brand has a Facebook and Twitter account. For instance, some customers check a restaurant's menu posted on its Facebook and when they see whatever dish they're looking for, that's when they will make a reservation.
Make room for orders and arrangements desired by your customers on your social networking accounts. When they ask questions pertinent to reservations, reply to them in public but proceed with the transactions through private messages.
Address complaints.
As far as your customers are concerned, to rave about a satisfying experience is as easy –if not more than—to rant about its polar opposite. It doesn't stop there as netizens can complain not only on their social media walls but also on your business' account. While these circumstances are often inevitable, you can do something to control the damage it can cause.
In situations where customers take it out on social media their bitter experiences, acknowledge their situation and let them know that you'll provide them the assistance they need. You should also ask them specific details about their concerns. In other cases, you can also offer them an alternative product that can help address their concern.
Educate your followers.
When you interact with your customers in social media, they are happy; but when you give them something else (especially when it's free), they are thrilled. Make social media a vehicle to carry information that reflects your brand and your audience can relate to. You can do so by creating ingenious images, videos, or infographics that contain interesting material such as trivia, tutorials, and techniques. These media also happen to be shareable so spreading the word about your business and what you're good at is going to be easy.
Include a chat widget on your website.
Aside from your social media accounts, customers also refer to your website when they need to look something up, say a branch's location or product availability. The only time they will contact you through phone (at times, reluctantly, and that is if they haven't given up yet) is when they can't find what they're looking for. So apart from making important information available on your social media dashboards and your website, you can also embed a chat widget so that it will be easier for your customers to get in touch with you. Chatting eliminates the need to step away from the computer making this mode of conversation a much more convenient option.
Repost your followers and fans.
It's common practice among customers not just to share their experiences on social media but also to take photos of themselves while relishing these events. Make these encounters more gratifying by reposting their posts or pressing the Like button nearby. Doing this will make your customers feel valued because they will that your interest in their feedback or reaction. Also, when they see that you're quick to respond to their posts, they will remember that they can count on your social media accounts whenever they need to inquire about something.
It is also important to remember that social media is a double-edged sword. While its manageability and versatility can work to your company's advantage, a nasty comment can make the impression that your product or service is crappy. Thus, it's always advisable to exercise moderation as well as precaution when dealing with customers through this platform. Ultimately, you need to make sure that your merchandise of good quality so that your customers won't hesitate to laud you in online locales where you're visible.