HubSpot recently reported that 25% of consumers who complain to a brand on Facebook or Twitter, want and even expect a response within an hour of lodging their grievance.
The truth is, if you do not respond to a posted complaint within a very short time, rest assured you will not only lose the opportunity to generate repeat business from the complaining party, but you’ll also lose their respect as well as credibility.
On the other side of this reality, customers today also expect a rapid response along with a special thank you when they complement you.
Take Morton’s Steakhouse for example.
This upscale steak chain delivered a joking customer a free steak at an airport.
The customer had tweeted, “Hey @Morton’s... can you meet me at Newark airport with a porterhouse when I land in two hours? K, thanks.”
To the customer’s amazement, Morton’s did just that!
This resulted in a massive wave of PR activity and positive press coverage for the steak chain. The fact that this occurred in 2011 and people are still talking about it today, shows you how crucial positive social customer service can be for you and your company brand.
In light of this, the following steps will help you build loyal customers on your social media platforms.
Step #1: Assign a Social Media First-Responder
Consider appointing someone who is capable of responding and monitoring each one of your brand’s social channels.
As we previously discussed, customers (and leads) expect answers in real-time – all the time.
If there is a long period of time between a tweet, and your response is not timely, it will result in high levels of frustration, and even disgust from a previously happy customer.
Ideally, your social media first-responder should have notifications coming into their cell phone, and they should have the ability to check in on each channel, a minimum of several times per day.
Step #2: Create a Troubleshooting Library
Issues that require your time and attention are going to occur from time to time, regardless of the industry you operate in.
An excellent way to prepare your customer service people, is for you to compile and create an itemized library of common incidences, together with detailed notes on how to handle each situation.
Not only will doing this equip your staff with the general answers they need, but it will also inject a measure of confidence in them, resulting in your customer service increasing in professionalism and service.
It’s important you instruct your staff to always keep your customers in the loop regarding the specific issue they have expressed to you.
In fact, it’s a good idea to follow up and send a private message with details on the next steps you’ll be taking on their behalf.
Step #3: Transform Your Customers into Loyal Brand Ambassadors
If you can motivate the followers of you and your brand to interact with you in a positive manner, you will find that in no time flat they will be transformed from happy customers to your very own brand promoters.
So, exactly how do you do this?
For starters, get creative and do things like contests, polls and giveaways. Throw in some interesting questions and maybe even a pinch of humor, and you’ll be off and running.
A good example of this, is the Delta Faucet promo below: Check it out and see how many of your ideas you can come up with.
Always track and make a record of those who engage with your brand, as well as your followers.
Whenever these customers post content, be sure you retweet or share their content. Also make a point of liking their posts, and commenting from time to time on
their posts. This will let them know how much you value them, and besides, they will return the favor time and time again.
What is the moral of the story?
NEVER under any circumstances whether it be praise or criticism, ignore any comment posted on one of your social media accounts
The bottom line is, your aim is to have followers who love you and are loyal to your brand.
That’s where it starts, and that is where it ends!
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