Social media are great for customer service purposes and many companies do have a social media presence to service their customers. I guess you know the names of those that do it successfully on Twitter, for instance. However, social media are rarely full-fledged customer service platforms. They are entry doors, “ears”, touch points and channels.
Customer service starts with listening and social media are great to monitor and analyze feedback and comments. On top of social media, there are of course more online channels for customer service, feedback and comments. However, I would like to talk about how you, as a business, find your way in this multi-channel world of buzz, feedback, comments, service requests, etc.
I know how frustrating it can be if you have a problem with a product or service you rely on everyday, and I can get quite impatient to get help then myself. We’re living in a day and age where we want immediate help everywhere and anytime. It’s not the best evolution possible probably, but there you have it.
24/24 and 7/7 customer service
Some experts claim that you have to service your customers 24/24 every day of the week through all possible channels. Personally, I find this nonsense, although, depending on your business and customers, it’s a must to strive towards excellent customer experiences and thus service.
What do I do when I need support? I call and mail once, within office hours. I ask a timeframe in which the problem will be solved. If that timing isn’t respected, I will call again, etc. I might use Twitter or start chatting with a customer service agent if the company provides that possibility on its website – and the agent is online. Alternatively, I might ask advice to peers.
Obviously, everyone is different though and let’s not forget cultural differences either. There are many people that immediately tweet when having a customer service issue.
The ROI perspective of social customer service
However, does this mean a business must provide all the channels and customer service options all the time and answer instantly? If it does, it has a competitive advantage, and it leaves a good impression.
Still, let’s think about it from the ROI perspective as well. Sure, a good customer (service) experience drives word-of-mouth and recommendations. Yes, customer service is more important than ever. Absolutely, not answering to all that is being said about your brand, and company can have a negative brand impact.
However, you have to look at it from your company’s AND customer’s perspective and not use everything all the time without a plan and calculated model. On top of that, you need to have a coordinated, cross-channel, holistic and measured approach. Focus on customer service excellence before you focus on the channels you will use to provide support, a choice that should be driven by both your customers and your resources.
What is sure about social media listening and customer service:
- You have to listen to your customers (and others) and thus monitor and analyze what’s being “said”.
- You have to respond where you can and must.
- Customers need to have a clear choice of channels to find customer service or express opinions.
- The better, more available and customer-centric the service, the better for the customer experience.
- The better you track your reputation, trends, feedback, etc., the better you can adapt your business and customer service (pro-actively).
- You need to use the channels for customer-service and interaction purposes that your customers and target groups use.
- The most important thing is that you are present, involved, pro-active and participative.
However, you have to prioritize, segment and allocate the right resources to the right channels and segments! This does not mean you have to define these resources from your actual customer service organization. It might be time to allocate more and restructure or innovate. This requires you to calculate the impact of negative comments, poor customer service and, vice versa, positive comments and customer satisfaction. You have to do the math and realize the perception of your brand is a matter of customer experience, in the broadest sense possible.
On the other hand, don’t exaggerate in view of the bad reputation fear! If 1% or less of your customers uses Twitter and one of them sends a tweet to your company’s Twitter handle on a Sunday saying that he needs help right now or giving a bad comment, where do you end? Sure, if you’re a multinational with gazillions of employees and all the best of breed applications, you can try to do that. If your business is an industry where close interactions are key, you can do it as well. And yes, in the social sphere comments travel fast.
But what about all the other channels and customers? Must you only listen to the public complaints? No. In fact, chance is you will have fewer public complaints regarding customer service if you act fast and good enough elsewhere.
Monitoring and analyzing everything is best and there are tools and ways to do it. It’s also about reacting and being there where your customers want you. However, prioritize.
Remember these customer service strategy questions:
- First define the strategy and plan, next choose the tools.
- It’s more important to set expectations right about how, when and where you can help or respond than to go for the 7/7 24/24 model.
- If customers want support or answers everywhere all the time and that is simply impossible given the type, size or nature of your business, then don’t ignore complaints but clearly state what you can do.
- If you have the kind of customers and business whereby customers need to be served in real-time, then make it part of your service offering, service level agreements, etc.
- Measure, calculate and keep doing it. If you start offering service via a new channel, try to find the right metrics to define what the effect will be on your budgets.
- Make sure you have a single view on your customers across your company.
- What’s the impact on costs and on the short, medium and long term regarding customer satisfaction and revenue?
Customer is king but he’s not alone.
About J-P De Clerck
