Risks with customer services and social media

Posted by Anton on Jul 27, 2011 in Social Media

Back in the day, when you had an issue with a local store or vendor you probably did one of the following.  If it was a local business, you drove to the store to leave a compliment or a complaint. If you couldn’t visit the store, you could write them a letter or called their customer services department.  One of these options of contact most likely gave you a response, but how long did it take? In today’s technology driven world, one would expect that turnaround time should be faster.

Do you use social media for customer services?  What is the purpose of your Twitter profile, Facebook Fan page and your dedicated YouTube channel?  The primary function for most companies when they start with social media is to disseminate information to future and current customers.

Social media is an important medium to use to promote your ability to handle your business.  If you can give direct answers to customer queries, it shows that you are not just able to give answers to questions, but you are willing to take action when it is needed. Social media travels really fast.  Think how quickly a complaint about a business can burn through Twitter in hours.

Risks with social media

With any marketing medium available today, social media also comprises of a couple of risks.  One of the most important points to consider with any social media campaign is that no one can really hear your voice over a computer – maybe you have updated your status on your favourite social media channel about something humorous and someone took your words the wrong way.  It is really important to not misuse social media as this can cause you and your business damage.

Never neglect your profile

Always answer questions and comments in a timely manner.  This is not saying that you should be on Facebook and Twitter every hour of the day, but if a customer has a question about a specific service or product, it’s best not have them hanging without an answer for days.  If you are too worried about missing posts from them, there are ways you can set up automatic notifications through e-mail and other services.  By setting up these notifications you can keep track of any activity.

Never be defensive

You might have a number of people managing your digital profile, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, it may open the door to the occasional “rant” when responding to a complaint.  It is very important for the person managing your profile to know that every comment represents your business, not always only one individual. Most of the times, if a customer or a potential prospect is offended by a negative remark or comment, they will only see your logo, and associate a bad experience with you. It is very important to handle online situations with tact, grace and expedience.

Never delete

It is true that no one likes a black mark on their Facebook wall.  It looks ugly and it is the closes thing to a bruise.  You might think that it will go away when you delete it, but most of the times it wont. If the complaint or negative remark is valid, use this opportunity to address the issue publicly and how you intend to solve it. The person who left the comment will see how you are attentive, and others will realize that you are there to provide value, and one that listens.

Can social media help you with customer services? It definitely can if you know how to handle various situations, and not just using your social profiles for direct advertising.