Many companies dread the thought of customer service, worrying that it could take up too much time and resources, or that they will constantly have to deal with irate customers. While this can happen, good customer service is essential for any brand today, whether they are large or small. It can also help to reduce many problems and issues that might arise with customers. As most know, customers today are very quick to take to the web when disgruntled over a product or service. Heading them off at the pass, so to speak, can make a huge difference in how those issues affect your brand.
One of the best ways to interact with customers today is through social media. Many companies are taking to sites such as Twitter to help deal with customer service issues. In fact, it can work quite well.
What Makes Twitter a Good CS Solution?
First, Twitter is very fast when it comes to reaching people, and this means that resolving their problems, often in real time, is possible. This is far more beneficial than emails or even phone calls. Though a call might be a good option, it is not always possible, and sometimes, the wait to get through to someone on the phone is simply too long. Solving problems on Twitter can be fast, and in the case of a minor issue or question, it might happen with just one tweet. For other issues, it might require a longer, private conversation through the site. Regardless, it is all fast and easy.
People who get good customer service tend to talk about it, just as they would talk about bad customer service. They often do so when on Twitter, where everyone can see. Good feedback for your Twitter CS gets out to other customers, which can lead to better brand recognition, as well as more sales, ultimately.
You will also find that using this social platform for customer service can help to reduce costs, since it does take less time than having a full call center. Since the tweets need to be so short, they are often right to the point, which can help solve problems more quickly.
Easy to Track
You can track all mentions of your company and your brand on Twitter without much trouble through tools such as Tweetbeep, and the oddly spelled Monitter. They will update you when certain keywords, such as your business name, come up in Twitter. You can see what people are saying, and if they have any problems or issues with your company, you can head off those issues before they get out of hand. Customers will see that you are serious about helping them, and this often suppresses the anger or frustration they were feeling before.
Respond Quickly and Openly
As soon as you see any problems from customers on Twitter regarding your company, you should respond publicly. A simple tweet that asks what you can do to help them resolve their problem is all you need to initiate the conversation.
Engage in conversations with people on the social networks, and make it known that you have a team of professionals there to help with their concerns, questions, and issues. Always be honest and authentic when it comes to your interactions as well. If you are not being honest, you can be sure that customers will know and that they will put that out to the world as well. Openness, honesty, and authenticity are all important.
Many companies have been very successful when it comes to using Twitter for customer service, and you can, as well.
Resource: http://mashable.com/2009/05/09/twitter-customer-service/