5 ways to do social media customer service right

If you use social media to promote your brand, there might be times when you've wondered: does social media customer care really matter? 

The answer is, yes. It matters a lot! A survey by Sprout Social found that that people are 43% less likely to become brand advocates if a company doesn't reply to a message, but they are 20% more likely to recommend a brand if it responds. When you have a great approach to social media customer service, it becomes an opportunity to show customers that you care and can help boost brand loyalty. Proving to customers that you care about their experience can be good for business (as well as the right thing to do). 

Here are my top tips for providing outstanding customer service. Remember, every business is different so make sure to adapt my tips to your company's complaints process.

Respond promptly 

Don't stick your head in the sand! Even if you're busy and have a hundred other things you'd rather do, leaving someone to simmer will only make things worse. People expect a quick response on social media, so if you don't reply, they'll be more likely to post another negative comment on your profile.

Make sure you don't miss a customer service query by using tools like Hootsuite (my favourite) and Sprout Social (also a great option) to monitor all your profiles in one place.

Be empathetic

Most people want to feel heard and valued. Even if you think they are unreasonable, avoid the urge to get defensive! Be empathetic and show them that you're taking their complaint seriously. Most people reach out on social media because they genuinely want you to solve their problem, and they are engaged enough in your brand that they are willing to give you a chance to resolve the issue.

Move the conversation from a public forum to a private one

When you reply, take steps to move the conversation onto direct messaging. You don't want your other followers reading the ins and outs of the complaint (that you're about to solve with your amazing customer care skills). Ask the customer to DM you with more details so you can solve the issue as quick as possible.

Most people want to feel heard and valued. Even if you think they are unreasonable, avoid the urge to get defensive!

Solve the issue

This one is on you. Do what you can to resolve the problem as quickly as possible. If it's going to take longer to solve than you had expected, send the customer updates now and again so they know what's going on. If they are left in the dark, there's a good chance they will resort to publicly posting to tell other followers that your brand left them hanging. Whereas, if they know you're doing everything you can for them, they will feel valued and it's likely they will be more understanding about the delay.

Sometimes you can't give the customer what they are asking for. It happens, and if you have to let them down be as open and transparent as your company allows (now isn't the time to have a moan about a manager who said they wouldn't issue a refund). The customer might be upset so make sure you handle this in an understanding and empathetic way.

Bonus: what about trolls?

Let's talk trolls. There are a few rare cases when your company's social media gets trolled. You may have a troll on your hands if the person doesn't actually want you to resolve whatever it is they are angry about, or they keep posting negative comments even after you have fixed their issue. 

Cases like these are few and far between, most people will genuinely be looking for help so don't assume you're being trolled simply because someone is angry at your company. In extreme cases, you may need to consider blocking a genuine troll or limiting who can reply to your Tweets, but make sure you do everything you can to resolve their problem first. People understand that this can happen on social media; if your other followers see that you're doing everything you can to help, it's likely they'll see the comments for what they are and simply ignore them.

If you're ready to get more from your social media marketing, get in touch today to see how I can help your brand. The first consultation is free!