Sorry 1-800 numbers, social media is the new way to reach out to a brand. There’s no hold music, no dropped calls, no “transferring to another department.” All those infamous customer service pet peeves are fading away thanks to social media marketing. But is your customer service team using this platform right?
When a brand is represented on social media, they are automatically expected to give a response in under an hour. In fact, studies show that approximately 65% of people who reach out to a brand via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or another platform expect a response within an hour. They want their inquiries responded to at a rapid rate– and who can blame them? Everything else is happening at lightning speed thanks to the internet, so why should their friendly, professional, and thorough answers come at a slower pace?
If you’re one of the many businesses that respond slower than the “one hour standard” or fail to respond at all, you need to checkout these tips.
1. Have a rep at the ready. Your business should always have someone available to respond to customer inquiries. The best and most obvious way to do this is give your employees access to the social media platforms on their mobile devices. Even on the go, they can offer a quick response. They may not have all the answers right in front of them as if they were at their desktop, but they can refer them to the right solution.
2. Establish your hours. Don’t feel like setting up a night-shift rep? Many companies don’t want to have a rep immediately available at all times, especially after their hours of operations have ended. There’s an easy answer to this. You can create and schedule an automated “away” message inside Facebook itself. If you really want to go the extra mile for your customers, include helpful links that answer the most common questions.
3. Chatbots. A chatbot should not replace a live person. Instead, it should enhance your customer’s experience. If created correctly, chatbots can help customers with troubleshooting issues, placing orders, and much more. People love getting an immediate response when they have a question, and chatbots run 24/7, so they’re a great way to keep your customers happy.
As you can see, it’s easy to always be in touch with your customer base. If you respond fast enough, Facebook will reward you with a note at the top of your page (and will sometimes even alert your page visitors!) that says “Usually responds within an hour.” This is something your a business should strive for, because it lets your customers know that you provide great customer service.
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