What Support Can You Provide Customers in Social Media?
In the Information Age, people have grown accustomed to heading to the Internet when they have problems, questions, or complaints. Successful companies understand the need to build a structure for troubleshooting, communication, and connection with their audience online. Social media marketing is known for being the place customers head when they need more information or they want to file a complaint of some sort. Why social media? Mostly because people are annoyed with long phone waits and cutting through corporate red tape when they have a problem that needs solving. Savvy businesses understand this and they have a plan for being present and responsive online.
Developing Systems for Social Media
Many customers will turn to social media as a way to connect directly with a brand. There are automation capabilities built into many of these social media platforms that allow you to be present for your audience and respond to inquiries, messages, and comments. Have a system or a plan in place to ensure that you are monitoring your social media engagement and being responsive to your budding social media community. This level of customer support and service is essential for successful businesses.
Processes for Troubleshooting and Concerns
As your business develops, are you documenting your policies and procedures for dealing with customer service inquiries, requests, and complaints on social media? You can create a document, with all pertinent information, on how to handle various issues as they arise and make certain that all team members who deal directly with customers have access to the information. This will ensure consistency across your company while keeping on eye on your brand integrity at the same time.
Create an Emergency Plan
Social media marketing is prime for public PR situations and crises so it’s important to be prepared to respond when one arises. It’s also essential to have a plan for power outages, cancellations, or weather-related issues – depending on what impacts your company. Your audience will turn to social media in an emergency situation and if no one is at the helm, posting updates and responding to questions, that may reflect poorly on your brand.
Many small businesses haven’t encountered much in the way of needing to communicate with their audience online but as that audience grows and the business and brand expands, this will change. Having systems and processes in place to deal with this before it is needed is just the type of forward-thinking strategy that keeps a business proactive instead of reactive.
Are you looking for a social media company to train your staff on online marketing strategies and equip them with the tools to maintain engagement, spark interest through Linkedin and other social media platforms, and build a solid foundation company-wide? Contact us to set up a training session for your sales team to improve your online marketing efforts.
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Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media, Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, and the tools to manage them.
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