According to McKinsey & Co, “customer service today is a public affair.” Social media is not just used for venting out anger and frustrations. It is also used for customers to publicly reach out for customer service and support. Technology has evolved over time to make customers’ lives easier. The common resources for customer service and support used to be emails and phone calls. Now, most customers reach out through other online means of communication. Customers expect rapid and effective responses no matter what time of day or night it is, and the preferred channels are social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram. No customer wishes to wait for long periods of time on the phone or be left hanging on emails that they write to a business’s support team. McKinsey & Co states “when consumers have a bad experience, half will complain publicly about it on social media.” Companies never stop feeling the pressure to be present for their customers. This blog will talk about how companies can provide great customer service through social media.
Proactively Fulfill Customer Needs and Expectations
Customers will always have expectations for both old and new brands that they come across, especially on social media. Rather than being kept waiting after writing elaborately long emails, customers desire a swift and prompt response. Social media channels like Facebook and Twitter can make the responses sound more personal rather than formal. An example of a personalized response can be like the one below:
“Hello (Customer Name), We are sorry you are having trouble with our product. Please let us know how we can assist you further to resolve your issue.
Sincerely, PxidaX Support Team”
Keeping a polite and empathetic tone will allow customers to have a personalized experience with your business. And adding a personal touch of the customer support team member’s name at the end can also go a long distance in building rapport with the customer, but doesn’t work in every instance.
Assume All Eyes Are On You
Like it or not, social media platforms are public. Once you put something out there, it’s there for everyone to see, including your competitors. If a customer is being verbally abusive, it may look bad, but it will allow you to ponder your response more clearly so that you don’t write anything back that you will regret in the future. No business is immune to problems. You need to remember that the way you handle yourself online and offline is how you are representing your business, even if it means the way you react to customer feedback on social media. Handling the situation with dignity will allow you to maintain the stable reputation you have for your business.
Actively Listen to What They Have to Say
The first step to solving customer concerns and queries is to actively listen to the problem. Emotional customers do appear from time to time. It’s normal to experience a sense of shock at first. However, eventually, you need to take a breather and just listen to their feedback. Instantly reacting might lead to an action or response that you would regret in the future. Instead, just actively listen to what they have to say and help them resolve their query or concern. Forbes suggests that “when responding to feedback, be human.” Connecting with customers is a crucial part of providing great customer service, both online and offline. It’s important to acknowledge any harm done by the business and to work diligently to solve the issue for the customer, to lead to more interactions in the future, hopefully with more positive outcomes. This short and fast method of communication makes social media a hot favorite for customers to engage more with other businesses along with yours.
Do Not Ignore Negative Feedback
They say that the best way to beat haters is to ignore them. However, in the case of social media, it’s not the best idea to do so. Behind the negative comments are hidden messages targeted toward your business to improve. According to Forbes, “responding — appropriately — to a negative comment provides you with a chance to not only make something that is wrong right, but it also can show other consumers that you care about their experience with your brand.” The goal is to allow customers to feel validated and heard as they vent out their concerns and queries. Ignoring the negativity can potentially drive customers away from your brand and towards your competitors instead.
Find Your Brand’s Voice
Forbes suggests that “when responding to feedback, use a tone of voice that matches your brand’s tone.” When customers look at your brand, they create an impression in their minds of what your brand could possibly sound like – formal, snarky, fun, creative, inspirational…etc. The possibilities and combinations are endless. Before you respond to your customer, you need to ask yourself the following questions – who is your brand? What would your brand sound like if it were a human being? What does your brand care about? How would your customers expect your brand to interact with them? Creating a persona will help you respond in a manner that can help your customers connect with your brand. If the tone doesn’t match, then there is a chance of losing the connection with your customers.
Gathering Customer Service Feedback on Social Media with PxidaCX
Customers opt to give feedback on social media now more than ever. It’s the go-to hotspot for feedback rather than a tedious email or a long phone call. PxidaCX is also a great tool for retrieving feedback from customers. With our customer experience and customer feedback surveys, it’s a surefire way for your business to receive honest and anonymous feedback from your customers. Get started with a free trial today!