Customer service has evolved beyond face-to-face interaction and phone calls. In the digital age we live in, social media has become an invaluable tool for businesses. At first glance, platforms ranging from Facebook to Twitter to Instagram may not be the most obvious customer service tools. However, with the right strategy, social media can be used to enhance the customer service experience. This, along with services including content creation and brand building, is one of the areas where a New York social media agency specializes.
With this in mind, no customer service strategy, digital-focused or otherwise, is perfect at the onset. Even if a business has experience utilizing platforms such as the ones mentioned earlier, they may not know how to get the most out of them when assisting customers. There is where fine-tuning or perhaps major overhauls may prove useful. Do you believe that you’re not getting the most out of social media as a customer service platform? Here are 5 ways that you can improve the experience, not only for your clientele but the overall health of your business.
Listen to your audience. One of the best ways to serve customers is by seeing things from their perspective. For example, take a cursory scroll or glance on any social media platform. What is your target audience discussing? What are some of the topics they seem to be most engrossed in, whether they’re liking photos, watching videos, or engaging in conversation with other users? This information provides a better understanding of one’s audience. Ergo, it becomes that much easier to assist them in the future. Use this information when crafting unique content, sharing the content of others, or interacting with users in general.
Consider creating unique social media handles. Depending on the size of your business, as well as the departments within it, you may want to consider creating unique social media handles. The main reason for this is that it allows communication to be organized based on specialty. LinkedIn, for example, has multiple Twitter accounts, each with a specific purpose. LinkedIn has its own general account, but it also has supplementary accounts designed for technical support, marketing, and sales, just to name a few key areas. Keep in mind that this won’t apply to all businesses, especially those that are relatively small or new to their industries. However, as business blossoms, this may be a topic worth revisiting. If you require assistance managing social media accounts, consult your local Long Island advertising agency.
React promptly. It’s recommended that a company respond to a user within one business day following the latter’s online query. Of course, this can vary, depending on the volume of messages that a business receives. Nonetheless, the point stands: the more prompt a business is, when responding to users, the better their social media profile will become. Consider that many businesses take days, if not weeks, to get back to their customers. This has a negative impact on the trust that businesses have with their consumers. Don’t wait too long to get back to your audience.
Be thoughtful when interacting with users. Imagine this: a customer reaches out to you regarding a product they purchased. They express that the product in question isn’t functioning as it should and would like troubleshooting. While this may seem like an opportunity to upsell, this is counterproductive. Not only will the customer be unlikely to entertain the idea, but it can further damage trust, which is difficult to repair. In this instance, it’s recommended to approach the matter with a thoughtful mindset. If you’re unable to solve the issue, direct the user to another department, such as technical support. A thoughtful level of interaction goes a long way, especially on social media.
Encourage and monitor reviews. Social media business pages are typically not without their reviews, which users should be encouraged to leave. Whether it’s a positive experience with a gaming console or a wonderful night at a restaurant someone tried for the first time, reviews can provide reliable insight into companies across the board. Not only should companies encourage customers to leave their thoughts, but the reviews in question should be monitored. Once a review is left, the company can interact. They may thank the user for their praise or offer additional support if a review is less than glowing. No matter how thorough a social media account is or how valuable their insight is, user-generated content such as reviews elevate it that much more.
About fishbat: fishbat is a full-service digital marketing agency located in New York. Utilizing the latest technologies and forward-thinking strategies, fishbat is able to create marketing plans that are tailor-made for specific needs and goals. The services that fishbat provides include, but aren’t limited to, social media management, search engine optimization, content marketing, email marketing, and branding. With these, businesses will be able to market directly to their audiences, increasing traffic, engagement, and ultimately, revenue.
