Customer service might be easier to manage than you think. If you treat customers like they are real people, genuinely care about their issues and resolve them in a timely manner, you’ll end up with happy, loyal customers.
Why Customer Service Matters on Social Media
Let’s begin with some bad news. Even if you think you’re giving amazing social media customer service, chances are…you’re not. Check out this mind-boggling statistic from HelpScout:
Crazy right?! Well it’s quite simple really…customers want, expect and are prepared to reward great social media customer service, but not many brands are living up to their expectations. On the bright side, this means there is a huge opportunity for you to stand out and really impress your customers.
Let’s Take a Look at the Numbers:
Fact: Only 36% of consumers that make customer service inquiries via social media report having their issue solved quickly and effectively.
It’s surprising that this percentage isn’t higher. Wouldn’t you want to resolve any issues that came up immediately? A happy customer is a repeat customer. Which leads me to my next point…
Fact: When companies engage and respond to customer service requests over social media, those customers end up spending 20% to 40% more with the company.
The more your customers spend in your store, the better.
Fact: 71% of those who experience positive social care (i.e., a quick and effective brand response) are likely to recommend that brand to others, compared to just 19% of customers that do not receive any response.
Convinced you need to be using social media for customer service yet?
Don’t forget about the small matter of every single interaction being open for public view when it comes to social media. More than one million people view tweets about customer service every week, and roughly 80% of those tweets are negative or critical in nature. And one bad interaction can wipe out even more good ones.
Get the social media buzz going in your direction and the possibilities are limitless. Does your company use social media for customer service? We hope you consider starting if you haven’t already.
Stay tuned for the next blog in my series about what social media customer want from your brand.
