North East-based social, digital & design agency Curtis Gabriel share their top tips for managing customer service across your social media accounts in 2020.
For many of our clients, social media customer service forms a key part of their social strategy and is often their biggest headache when they initially approach us. Throughout 2019, Curtis Gabriel managed over 225,000 customer service interactions on behalf of our clients and registered over 5.4 million social media engagements.
If you are yet to consider how your business can utilise social media for improved customer service and connection, it’s definitely time that you did.
80% of consumers now use social platforms to engage with brands. Social media is faster than traditional telephone outreach, can be more responsive, and is available on the platforms where people are increasingly spending their time. In combination, the data shows that customers want your business to be providing a certain level of support via these networks.
It’s time to meet them where they’re at.
Respond faster
Integrate customer service platforms to redirect customers to the correct platform for their query. Always give highest priority to technical problems or complaints for quick resolutions. Customers expect a response within a matter of minutes and a maximum of three hours.
Be proactive
Utilise social listening tools to identify potential dissatisfied customers and respond before situations have the opportunity to escalate.
Personalised services
Be social, no one wants to receive a generic response. Make customer service interactions human and personable, not robotic and automated.
Empathise with customers
Understand the customers issue, detect their tone of voice and then reply with empathy. Often frustrated customers can be turned into loyal fans with well executed customer service.
Dont auto-respond
Auto-responses and social media chat bots can put customers off. Instead, its key to create tailored templates for common enquiries which can easily be personalised for each interaction.
Stick to the right channel
Be available to your customers on the right social media channels and address their needs accordingly. For example, on Linkedin, you require a more professional approach in comparison to other channels like Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.
Take things offline
Sometimes it is easiest to take things offline or behind the scenes to manage a customer service enquiry, this allows customers to share sensitive information or for the correct member of your team to manage the enquiry via email or telephone.
Maintain consistency
Provide customers with the same level of quality, accuracy and professionalism on social media as you would on the phone or via email.
For more information or to discuss how Curtis Gabriel can support your Social Media Customer Service visit www.curtisgabriel.com
