How Social Media Is
Changing Customer Service
Think about when the first social networks started emerging in the early 2000s. Did you expect the platforms to explode in the way they did? Social media has swelled to be much more influential than anyone would have believed. Its influence on modern business is impossible to ignore. These days, customer service has a constant link with popular social platforms. Here are some of the ways social media has changed customer care.
One of the main aspects which has made social media so popular is how easy it is to use. The interface of every social media platform is designed with the user in mind. Now, people are able to broadcast their stories and comments in a matter of seconds. People love including themselves in events, and businesses are taking advantage of it. Many are inviting their customers and followers to post pictures with a certain theme, possibly as some kind of promotion or competition. This means your company will be popping up on many people’s feeds, and that your customer base will feel more involved in your brand.
Another way social media is affecting customer care is in the name. If you want to push your online customer care as far as possible, I advise leveraging the “social” aspect in social media. Although it may be a playground for marketers now, people join social networks in order to connect with other people. Fitting into this will improve your customer service, and make it much more beneficial to your business at large. Take Weight Watchers, for example. Their Facebook page is full of challenges and tips which their members are encouraged to take part. Today, when everyone has a smartphone in their pockets, it’s easier than ever for users to interact with people as instantly as with SMS software. When your customers sense a strong community, they’ll come back to your social platforms again and again.
Social media essentially puts great customer service on a platter for you. However, you still see certain mistakes made by fairly large businesses. The worst thing you can do is make your social media campaigns too much about the product, and not enough about the customer’s experience. Of course, if your business is a food outlet or something similar, you’re going to have a much easier time getting your customers involved. Keep at it that though, and don’t be afraid to target a certain niche. Look at the American Express Open Forum. All the content here is geared specifically toward business owners. Obviously, this multinational credit card company isn’t 100% unbiased in the way they present content. However, as soon as you land on the page, you get the feeling that it’s there to help you.
These three factors are just a handful of areas which are being affected by the influence of social media. It’s always changing, so keep up with it.
