The New Customer Service Tool

by Erin Cole, Social Media Marketing Manager How many times have you found yourself in a lengthy and frustrating process when receiving or facilitating customer service? Not any more. While traditional customer service methods aren’t bad, there are always new methods to meet your customers where they are. Social media has become a primary source of connecting with people and building positive relationships. It’s time to leverage it to handle the not so positive relationships. So, how do you start providing quality customer service on your social platforms? Let your customers know that you’re able to solve issues through direct messaging on the platform of their choice. Create a visual post or add it into your monthly newsletter. Ensure you have some guidelines on how to appropriately escalate issues for your team so your customers have the best experience possible. Be sure to respond in a timely manner. Although we’d all love to answer every customer immediately, it's not a realistic goal. Inform your customer of the expected response time. This will help to reduce further dissatisfaction. Keep calm and review the issue first. You’re entering into a new space of service. So make sure you respond to all levels of dissatisfaction calmly and professionally. It’s important to keep your tone in mind when you respond to customers. Learn how to spot the trolls under the bridge. When reviewing the issue, it’s important to identify which customers are looking for a solution and those that are not. Users who are not looking for a solution will typically leave continuous hateful and negative comments on your social channels. In addition, if they’re making outrageous claims and refuse to accept any proposed solutions to handle the issue…you’re probably dealing with a troll. Last, but certainly not least, know when it is time to take the conversation off of social media. Social is a great tool and a convenient way to address service issues, but some problems may require a more traditional method of communication. Social media is a piece of the picture that makes your business unique. Making the most of these tools can help your business build better relationships, make more sales, and serve a broader audience! Source