Customer Service and Social Media: Why Combining Them is a No-Brainer

As the social media manager for your organization, you’re in a unique position to be the first line of communication for those who have questions or concerns. Staying on top of messages and comments in a timely manner is so important.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve reached out to a company’s social page and they either didn’t respond or sent a super delayed response. Don’t be that social media manager! It’s not a good look for your organization. Think of your social media pages as a uniform. A uniform visually represents who you are and what you stand for. Be sure that your organization’s social uniform includes fantastic customer service.

For starters…

Be Personable

How many times have you noticed a company copying and pasting an identical response on a thread of comments? I get it, there are often repeats of the same question and it’s difficult to respond differently to every single one. But, if you can try to NOT adopt this practice, I strongly recommend it. Use their name within the comment. This lets them know it’s a real person responding to their needs and feedback. Your supporters want to feel valued and this is such an easy way to prove that their comment is seen, heard, and taken into consideration.

Pro tip: the most frequently asked question is going to be the top comment, and most people will take notice.

Look at every comment as a new way to build a relationship. This person is either an existing supporter or they’re a potential one. Take this chance to increase retention rates or solidify a new donor. Don’t be afraid to convey real emotion. Your audience wants to know there are real people behind the social media channels instead of the usual robotic responses.

Social media is an amazing way to start a conversation. Follow-through is the best look for your brand. Public responses show donors and followers that your organization cares!

Respond Promptly

This is where following through is important. Once you create your social media pages, you’re committed to providing quality customer service to your audience. Don’t abandon them! The Internet has created a world of instant gratification. When you receive a direct message or comment, you can bet that they’re expecting an immediate (or at least timely) response. Monitor your inbox and keep an eye out for all notifications. Personally, I always have each social channel open on my computer and phone notifications toggled on. Followers will look for the response badge on Facebook. Don’t allow your response rate to become less than desirable, or even worse, non-existent.

You might not be able to answer their question, but you can be sure to pass it along to someone that can help. Ideally, your team will receive questions or concerns that can easily be resolved through a simple response. If not, pass it along to the appropriate department and surprise the messenger with a phone call. By reaching out promptly to resolve an issue, you’ve satisfied their need and given them high-quality customer service. This experience will leave an impression and help your organization’s image by (hopefully) positive word-of-mouth.

With customer service, also comes a form of public relations control. Social media is a known outlet for complaints. Breathe through this with me; each negative comment offers a way to publicly make it right. It’s not easy to handle confrontation, especially on such public platforms, and that’s what makes YOU a social media wizard. You’ve got this.

Eek, Sensitive Topic, What Do I Do?!

You’ll encounter positive comments and messages that are easy to interact with, but with the good comes the bad. It’s just the emotional roller coaster that is social media.

Pro tip: take all sensitive issues to a personal message.

Don’t ignore the initial comment, though. Let them know that you’ll be personally reaching out to resolve whatever said issue is. If you don’t acknowledge the comment, this gives the impression to followers that your organization ignores conflict. You won’t be able to please everyone, but if you market yourself as a responsive and caring brand, the good will outweigh the bad.

Conclusion

Gone are the days of waiting tirelessly for responses to phone calls and emails for customer support. Social media is the modern day first line of customer service. By providing a human element to your social channels, you can delight your followers and keep them engaged with your mission. Keep on rockin’ it, you social media wizard!