But simply existing on social media isn\u2019t sufficient to provide the excellent social media customer service clients expect from brands today. Be prepared to take your social media customer support to the next level with our detailed and practical social media customer service tips. Your clients (and your profit margins) will thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>The importance of social media in customer service<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nSocial media customer service<\/a> solutions are essential in today\u2019s online society. It\u2019s not enough these days to simply offer telephone and email support. Customers want you to be there<\/em>, wherever that is for them.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nImplementing a social media strategy in your customer service model is vital for any business, regardless of what niche or industry you operate in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t believe us? Just take a look at these figures<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- 1\/3 social media users would prefer a brand to provide delightful customer service <\/strong><\/a>over social media rather than telephone or email.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 75% of people say they\u2019re more likely to post a positive comment about your brand if you\u2019ve made meaningful social media connections.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- 71% of customers say they would be more likely to recommend your brand following a positive experience with a social media team member.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- On average, customers spend approximately 20-40% more on products or services if you engage and respond via social media.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Approximately 67% of customers will look for resolutions via a brand\u2019s Twitter or Facebook pages.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
How can social media be used for customer service?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n90% of millennial customers<\/a> prefer smartphones for customer support and after-sales service. And most of the time it\u2019s on the smartphone where they access social media platforms. To improve customer service through social media, you\u2019ll need to utilize various strategies in your social media and customer service strategies to make the most out of this instant and innovative communication method.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nGenerally speaking, there are two key ways to implement effective social media in your customer service strategy: Proactive<\/strong> and Reactive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nProactive<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nA proactive<\/strong> social media customer service strategy<\/a> involves your customer service team actively reaching out to customers and potential customers<\/a> on the channels they\u2019re using to respond to comments, complaints, and feedback.
<\/p>\n\n\n\nFor example, for #recycleweek, Costa Coffee<\/strong> created an Instagram Highlights story showing how they\u2019re helping combat climate change. This answered a common concern people have with takeout coffee and got them involved in an important conversation in one go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Costa](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/fnk9YSwqDw4-PKCHL0HV3caSn2lF6owQsPuQ5BO9GFj-UDKW5l50VQto1WGcPhszd4cX1WjO7cfbzl6PJiJIKGBSJczfQraGom3gp9D7nhcNneaKpltDWeViqLjK-NRmgWOCyOiG\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nReactive<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nLike it says on the tin, reactive <\/strong>customer service is all about responding to customers promptly and professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhile you might think a reactive social media customer service response is all about dealing with a customer complaint, it can also be used positively: for example, thanking someone for sharing a recent purchase on social media or offering support like Lululemon <\/strong>did here – <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Lululemon](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/kBCZ4G_FkDyFNf5BJYyJq-ajqhkBwzQU4ZJeL_dC1bQ2xJ3nRE6DvRAscmzrlZZSUQiz619fxvZj38wvvOl0Q4ksMuqPyaSFUPA5EXlnGDIBOreP8qZowuXVTt8-VUATguUpy6wG\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhat social media platforms are my customers using?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s only so much point in putting in time and effort into using social media for customer service if you\u2019re not on the platforms your customers and clients are actually using. How can you be expected to respond if you\u2019re using the wrong platforms?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For most businesses, a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter will suffice. LinkedIn is also a valuable social media customer service channel that many potential customers will expect you to have. Other businesses might also benefit from having a profile on other social media platforms such as Pinterest, YouTube, and Snapchat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To discover what social platforms your customers use, you\u2019ll need to run searches for likes, tags, and mentions of your brand across multiple platforms, even if you\u2019re not tagged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check out this wonderful example of a customer tweeting about her Amazon<\/strong> Kindle\u2026 A simple (untagged) Tweet that turned into an awesome surprise, and a fantastic demonstration of proactive social media customer service monitoring!<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Amazon.com](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/R4WHijVQE41yF8WL_L1PhvQzhLOpMDLjC4VqnUKPcHbnvn3HtdLhdWX6x9dBHbaURCIo-DWe8EhOYmO49uml3BVHUndVVJytT7fSoKG64Evwobnir_AbLtKNXQ-FGe-E1X-9nspn\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<\/span>How can I measure the success of my social media customer service?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhile it\u2019s not particularly complicated to use social media to improve customer service levels, measuring the success<\/a> of combining customer service and social media can be a little harder.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn fact, 55%<\/a> of marketing professionals stated that effectively measuring the ROI for their social media customer service process was the number one challenge in 2018. So, for a non-professional, it\u2019s certainly understandable if you\u2019re struggling to get your head around the metrics!<\/p>\n\n\n\nSproutSocial<\/a> has a quality guide on how to measure the ROI of social media marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Define the main reason your brand uses social media (is it about sharing who you are, selling products, building awareness for important issues, etc.?)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Set actionable social media customer service goals (email sign-ups, contact form inquiries, trails, purchases, clicked links, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Measure your successes per campaign, not as a whole.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>What tools can I use to enhance customer service on social media?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\nUsing a tool to monitor customer service on social media is essential in creating an effective plan to provide the best service across multiple platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. ProProfs Help Desk <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThis help desk software<\/a> makes it easy to monitor and organize communication with your customers across multiple channels. Utilize the ticketing system<\/a> to prioritize contact and ensure every customer gets a quality and timely response and the Cloud-based software to share information between team members. What\u2019s more, the database of incidents makes it easy to track your service levels and spot trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Google Analytics <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nGoogle Analytics helps analyze your business data<\/a> in one convenient location. It\u2019s particularly beneficial for tracking ROIs on your social media marketing<\/a> and customer service and enabling users to build a complete picture of how their brand performs. For more insights, check out Google Analytics tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Agorapulse <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAgorapulse enables users to schedule content, receive detailed reports, and engage followers across multiple social media platforms. The \u201cSocial Inbox\u201d is particularly handy for customer service teams as it allows you to quickly find, filter, and manage any mentions of your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. NapoleonCat <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAnother all-in-one social media tool, NapoleonCat, provides a single social inbox to deal with all customer interactions, the ability to create and customize automated responses, and a social media analytics page to track and analyze the performance of your channels. This includes helping you find top-performing content and the ideal times to post based on when your customers are most active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Hootsuite <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nHootsuite covers everything, including creating content, scheduling posts, tracking ROI, and monitoring brand mentions. It will also help you get involved in the conversations that matter to you and your customers by searching social platforms for keywords, hashtags, locations, and more (in multiple languages, too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>13 tips to make the most out of social media for customer service<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"xbox](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/UXLM5CfLZyCVQSb1U0ISlTe0ZUIYhip-qB3MJt8ODNVkOx1al3HuJ4c6a5Pa__f8yjJ1gXj2Jmvl3BG6yZTujnLHY-ipsk61gGDkn5iQnujgvkzMLlOyHZK-JY31zDggXmzr8GLB\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWe actually can\u2019t find who (if anyone) beat @XboxSupport<\/strong> for the title of \u2018Most Responsive Corporate Account on Twitter\u2019\u2026 If you know, please share with us, we\u2019re officially obsessed! <\/p>\n\n\n\n1. Set up a dedicated social media customer service handle.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nMany brands that are using social media as a customer service tool have set up a dedicated channel for customer feedback and comments. These accounts are explicitly used by the customer support team and allow client queries to be dealt with more efficiently and effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s essential to include your social service handle in the bio for the brand\u2019s main account and monitor social media for mentions of both (not everyone will realize you have a customer support page) like these pages have: <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"customer](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/J10YcNuM5sLxBTyOvrTkCnW9oeqxeHCkLYyKIkPSl71YwYOI2VE1zhCK_nEx8v6-sjrZyhtiKqHFs5EvKtiN2TNC6zoXMawfXwzx1ePdCmf3mxpdLgKsGctAeJ8xHO4PglZsDHrq\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n2. Monitor social media channels for brand mentions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nMany social media users won\u2019t actually tag your brand in their posts, so you\u2019ll need to stay proactive and engaged to respond to customers efficiently. By using keyword monitoring, you can catch every time your brand is mentioned and respond appropriately, staying involved in the conversation and showing an active awareness of what matters to your customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Consider the examples we shared earlier from Lulumeon <\/strong>and Amazon<\/strong>. Without social media monitoring, the companies wouldn\u2019t have seen the comments from their customers and may have missed out on a valuable opportunity to impress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Be prepared for FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nLots of customers are likely to contact you about the same sort of things. It can be worth having a dedicated FAQ section on your website that you can direct clients to for answers to their queries and\/or a set of quick-access answers to speed up your team members\u2019 response rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You could even use Saved Replies<\/a> on Facebook or Quick Replies<\/a> on Instagram to speed up the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLushCosmetics<\/strong> have a great example of getting ahead of FAQs in their Instagram Highlights album \u201cWays to Shop\u201d. Here, they answer common queries including a handy guide for ordering online that ends with an invitation to contact them for more information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Lush](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/7dawQF4nGtRlqcbVw0Rjnfm0LifM3pPYJYxo9wvpwwj9tZx6pem_sPekIZ8dfmVdrYN5lQc9hDMQsiSOGz8T0GjKJv5r4QxNqUrNwQ9-mRYD8bH9l0yqb68iHgFcaP5AqT8fdfaj\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n4. Create a strategy for social media and customer service responses<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nMaintaining a continuous brand tone of voice across multiple social media platforms and channels can be one of the biggest challenges when developing your social media customer service strategies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBe sure to provide plenty of social media customer service training to your agents<\/a>, including specific training on the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Tone of voice<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Expected response times on each channel<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- FAQs<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Escalation protocols<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Management approval procedures<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Generally, you\u2019ll want a friendly and personable TOV for the majority of comments. However, a more professional voice should be adopted when dealing with complaints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check out how Innocent<\/strong> (a generally cheeky brand persona) maintains a consistent TOV through their interactions, while also ensuring each potential customer gets an appropriate response. Their TOV is also consistent across different social media platforms, so you always know when you\u2019re seeing posts from or speaking to an Innocent representative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"innocent](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/bdKMpoWgPOiyKfq63A_UmzJFMSapeJkT4H3dPYp8nNkBndnCbkUnw6Xus4Utigw6vegqkQlw_mC8pOHOXv07327lAY00mgrTm2J3YH1xYi7vUvocRVIGuJlvMN3Qb_c7mR9XsBB9\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe customer service team does well here, mixing up their responses from sarcastic (\u201cless fiery gas\u201d) to supportive (\u201clet us know how you get on\u201d) to cheeky (\u201cthey can\u2019t all be blue\u201d) based on the customer reactions and comments, yet still keep the Innocent persona distinct in every message. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Manage customer expectations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nBe up-front with your customers<\/a> about your active hours, response rates, and how to contact you when your support team is out of the office. Provide links to self-service solutions (such as FAQs) when the team is offline and make it clear when they can expect a response. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Big Green Bookshop<\/strong>, for example, <\/strong>has its opening hours clearly stated on its Facebook page, so customers know when they can expect the service team to be online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n6. Always reply to customers on social media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nAny social media mentions of your brand, products, or services deserve a response. Being sure to respond to customer feedback<\/a>. Whether you\u2019re dealing with a service request, complaint, or general feedback, responding to every mention is an excellent way to improve the customer experience.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nSee the variety of comments AmericanAir<\/strong> deals with on their Twitter page\u2026 From thanking people for positive feedback to answering general questions, or complaint-handling, their social media customer service team handles everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"americanair](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/5Ql9srsRdW5js4H4W3ImpYyPdnCmmL80Bq6LCS62DQZBmcGrBvm7iDxeIu3KltX6WXKJVD-HDx3dLehtm7FyxgiEEacQOqhi-yIC_fdlIU3mOXYVq7OZO0-nZtTZnqsjvy8ns6Jo\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n81%<\/a> of Twitter users claim they won\u2019t recommend a brand if they don\u2019t receive a response to a Tweet or DM, and not responding to a complaint on social media can lower consumer loyalty<\/a> by 50%<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n7. Always reply to customers on social media quickly<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nNot only should you always respond to customers on social media, but you should also be sure to respond quickly<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBecause social media users are used to expecting instant messages, delays in response rates can be hugely detrimental to your brand image. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, the majority of social media customers expect a business to respond to a message in under an hour, with 6%<\/a> expecting a response within 5 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOn Facebook, your page will show your response times prominently. Respond to 90% of messages in 15 minutes or less, and you\u2019ll be awarded a \u2018Very Responsive to Messages\u2019 badge<\/a> to display proudly. <\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re going to be offline, use tools like the Away Messaging service to let customers know when they can expect contact from a customer service social media representative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Instant Replies<\/a> on Facebook are also beneficial for keeping your response time down. This sends an automated message to all initial messages and allows you to clarify expectations for when the customer can expect a reply. You can even customize this message to include the recipient\u2019s name for a more personal touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n8. Use automated social media customer service tools<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWe\u2019ve touched on the usefulness of automated tools for helping you handle customer comments on social media already in this article. Still, the benefit of managing social media activities without needing a customer service agent on-hand cannot be overstated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Facebook messenger for businesses<\/a> has loads of customizable automation options to help enhance the live chat experience<\/a>, or you could go for a third-party app<\/a> that will help you manage multiple social service accounts from one place. <\/p>\n\n\n\nChatbots<\/a> are also really handy for common queries and allow you to offer 24\/7 support even when the team is offline.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHerbal Essences<\/strong> takes advantage of the Facebook messenger tools to provide customers with some suggested conversation starters when you first open the chat, while VodafoneUK<\/strong> utilizes a chatbot to help narrow down and resolve customer queries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Vodafone](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/AmX93UI8vH0QgXzQKRhnzAsuchy0zaSf7nqIGHllrZ_Wd5Jrq62KXDqqT0ensyI8WJhneW7YyJeOCXbs0hkcNHwbuCHBN1SEVk3HJe_rsQoNRe9Mi-k0ASVlW2VTam5TvyyLR4hu\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n9. Turn public comments into private messages<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nKnowing when to move from a public platform into a private message is an essential trick that any social media customer service agent will need to master quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You may need to move your conversation onto a private channel when you need personal information such as a booking reference, order number, or mailing address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Complaints are also usually best handled away from the public eye. If someone does open a complaint in a public post, resolve the matter privately, then go back to the original post to let the public know the matter has been handled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
See how Harry\u2019s<\/strong> quickly invites customers to get in touch via DM if they have a problem (including inviting one customer who was upset the postal service had damaged the box), and also know when staying public is their best approach: <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Harry's](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/JRYugPFoYeFn7V5Nk_0UG-YSlPO_P7bH8U_Ek4Vho9nMphxNLi2HKfgRUT4A7C0Yntd3m2vvdurijdvGEyzR2xO-Mrcu7CuvYjOvTJnVVBxIMD3A8GD21ZVlpNWEjxQvrP36u8ym\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you do need to deal with a matter via private message, you\u2019ll want to make this as easy as possible for the customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- On Twitter, you can include a specially-formatted link<\/a> that allows users to go straight to your Direct Messaging from the Tweet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Facebook includes a handy \u2018Message\u2019 button that allows you to respond privately. A \u201cpage responded privately\u201d note will show on the post to let other users know you\u2019re on the case.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Instagram also makes it effortless for you to directly message users regarding their comments. As with Facebook, you should always add a comment so the customer knows to check their inbox and other users can see you\u2019ve responded. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
10. Prioritize customer comments and complaints on social media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nWhile you want to ensure people don\u2019t have to wait long to get a customer service response on social media, you may find your social media customer service inquiries quickly building up faster than you can respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Establish a clear priority system as part of your customer service social media strategy: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
High Priority<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n– Technical or account-related questions<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Complaints or dissatisfied customers<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Problems affecting multiple problems or potential PR issues<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Low Priority<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n– General mentions of your products or services<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Thanking users for positive feedback<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Touching base with people who\u2019ve commented in the past<\/p>\n\n\n\n
– Getting involved in discussions about your brand or industry (even if the OP wasn\u2019t targeted at you)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
11. Match the customers\u2019 TOV when crafting customer service responses on social media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nIn your customer service social media training, it\u2019s vital to include detailed training on tone of voice and how to appropriately respond to a wide variety of comments, feedback, and potential complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When interacting with customers on social media, the best practice is generally to try and match their tone of voice to ensure an appropriate response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
See how @DuluxUK<\/strong> change their tone of voice in the following 4 Tweets depending on what the customer needs: <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Dulux](\"https:\/\/lh6.googleusercontent.com\/6cHvkCK1HnDLbgMGWLta-wDIf0kzS-0mIxl2klbe7-deiHPrSlrb-Nd7lwq2RX9bdGx5cpNyhWj_wRWTK4of41MXZ6V7BkJ_ccFcVqNtmDp03JGyysBQNRUzoVA7PLaPwnwc-xJF\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIn the first Tweet, Dulux is professional and sympathetic as they ask a client to DM them for further assistance. The second thanks someone for sharing their project. The third is a more professional response to a product inquiry. The final Tweet responds to this photo\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Dulux](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/M7VgFdiL44u0joxDJ6_Pz_XIFCEzRRiVSUZ-51-7EpFMXlLinjqyMrJdXleqqwQZqy2IrKP_yg9BIK7xdm-CbcbeJiSirKJMg7oKs3-0nyl2DAqZcHmMDsuDbolA1Awrcy-sfEqQ\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n12. Don\u2019t delete customer complaints or negative feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nGood or bad, you should always avoid the temptation to delete examples of social media customer service from your page. Showing that you\u2019ve resolved customer service complaints on social media is a great way to demonstrate your dedication to social media customer care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On the other hand, deleting negative feedback is likely to enrage already frustrated customers, plus it can negatively affect your trustworthiness<\/a> if you only ever show positive reviews and delete anything or anyone who opposes you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Implementing a social media strategy in your customer service model is vital for any business, regardless of what niche or industry you operate in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t believe us? Just take a look at these figures<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n 90% of millennial customers<\/a> prefer smartphones for customer support and after-sales service. And most of the time it\u2019s on the smartphone where they access social media platforms. To improve customer service through social media, you\u2019ll need to utilize various strategies in your social media and customer service strategies to make the most out of this instant and innovative communication method. Generally speaking, there are two key ways to implement effective social media in your customer service strategy: Proactive<\/strong> and Reactive<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A proactive<\/strong> social media customer service strategy<\/a> involves your customer service team actively reaching out to customers and potential customers<\/a> on the channels they\u2019re using to respond to comments, complaints, and feedback. For example, for #recycleweek, Costa Coffee<\/strong> created an Instagram Highlights story showing how they\u2019re helping combat climate change. This answered a common concern people have with takeout coffee and got them involved in an important conversation in one go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like it says on the tin, reactive <\/strong>customer service is all about responding to customers promptly and professionally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you might think a reactive social media customer service response is all about dealing with a customer complaint, it can also be used positively: for example, thanking someone for sharing a recent purchase on social media or offering support like Lululemon <\/strong>did here – <\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s only so much point in putting in time and effort into using social media for customer service if you\u2019re not on the platforms your customers and clients are actually using. How can you be expected to respond if you\u2019re using the wrong platforms?<\/p>\n\n\n\n For most businesses, a presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter will suffice. LinkedIn is also a valuable social media customer service channel that many potential customers will expect you to have. Other businesses might also benefit from having a profile on other social media platforms such as Pinterest, YouTube, and Snapchat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To discover what social platforms your customers use, you\u2019ll need to run searches for likes, tags, and mentions of your brand across multiple platforms, even if you\u2019re not tagged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out this wonderful example of a customer tweeting about her Amazon<\/strong> Kindle\u2026 A simple (untagged) Tweet that turned into an awesome surprise, and a fantastic demonstration of proactive social media customer service monitoring!<\/p>\n\n\n\n While it\u2019s not particularly complicated to use social media to improve customer service levels, measuring the success<\/a> of combining customer service and social media can be a little harder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, 55%<\/a> of marketing professionals stated that effectively measuring the ROI for their social media customer service process was the number one challenge in 2018. So, for a non-professional, it\u2019s certainly understandable if you\u2019re struggling to get your head around the metrics!<\/p>\n\n\n\n SproutSocial<\/a> has a quality guide on how to measure the ROI of social media marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using a tool to monitor customer service on social media is essential in creating an effective plan to provide the best service across multiple platforms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This help desk software<\/a> makes it easy to monitor and organize communication with your customers across multiple channels. Utilize the ticketing system<\/a> to prioritize contact and ensure every customer gets a quality and timely response and the Cloud-based software to share information between team members. What\u2019s more, the database of incidents makes it easy to track your service levels and spot trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Google Analytics helps analyze your business data<\/a> in one convenient location. It\u2019s particularly beneficial for tracking ROIs on your social media marketing<\/a> and customer service and enabling users to build a complete picture of how their brand performs. For more insights, check out Google Analytics tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Agorapulse enables users to schedule content, receive detailed reports, and engage followers across multiple social media platforms. The \u201cSocial Inbox\u201d is particularly handy for customer service teams as it allows you to quickly find, filter, and manage any mentions of your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another all-in-one social media tool, NapoleonCat, provides a single social inbox to deal with all customer interactions, the ability to create and customize automated responses, and a social media analytics page to track and analyze the performance of your channels. This includes helping you find top-performing content and the ideal times to post based on when your customers are most active.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hootsuite covers everything, including creating content, scheduling posts, tracking ROI, and monitoring brand mentions. It will also help you get involved in the conversations that matter to you and your customers by searching social platforms for keywords, hashtags, locations, and more (in multiple languages, too).<\/p>\n\n\n\n We actually can\u2019t find who (if anyone) beat @XboxSupport<\/strong> for the title of \u2018Most Responsive Corporate Account on Twitter\u2019\u2026 If you know, please share with us, we\u2019re officially obsessed! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many brands that are using social media as a customer service tool have set up a dedicated channel for customer feedback and comments. These accounts are explicitly used by the customer support team and allow client queries to be dealt with more efficiently and effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s essential to include your social service handle in the bio for the brand\u2019s main account and monitor social media for mentions of both (not everyone will realize you have a customer support page) like these pages have: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many social media users won\u2019t actually tag your brand in their posts, so you\u2019ll need to stay proactive and engaged to respond to customers efficiently. By using keyword monitoring, you can catch every time your brand is mentioned and respond appropriately, staying involved in the conversation and showing an active awareness of what matters to your customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Consider the examples we shared earlier from Lulumeon <\/strong>and Amazon<\/strong>. Without social media monitoring, the companies wouldn\u2019t have seen the comments from their customers and may have missed out on a valuable opportunity to impress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lots of customers are likely to contact you about the same sort of things. It can be worth having a dedicated FAQ section on your website that you can direct clients to for answers to their queries and\/or a set of quick-access answers to speed up your team members\u2019 response rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You could even use Saved Replies<\/a> on Facebook or Quick Replies<\/a> on Instagram to speed up the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n LushCosmetics<\/strong> have a great example of getting ahead of FAQs in their Instagram Highlights album \u201cWays to Shop\u201d. Here, they answer common queries including a handy guide for ordering online that ends with an invitation to contact them for more information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Maintaining a continuous brand tone of voice across multiple social media platforms and channels can be one of the biggest challenges when developing your social media customer service strategies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Be sure to provide plenty of social media customer service training to your agents<\/a>, including specific training on the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Generally, you\u2019ll want a friendly and personable TOV for the majority of comments. However, a more professional voice should be adopted when dealing with complaints. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out how Innocent<\/strong> (a generally cheeky brand persona) maintains a consistent TOV through their interactions, while also ensuring each potential customer gets an appropriate response. Their TOV is also consistent across different social media platforms, so you always know when you\u2019re seeing posts from or speaking to an Innocent representative. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The customer service team does well here, mixing up their responses from sarcastic (\u201cless fiery gas\u201d) to supportive (\u201clet us know how you get on\u201d) to cheeky (\u201cthey can\u2019t all be blue\u201d) based on the customer reactions and comments, yet still keep the Innocent persona distinct in every message. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Be up-front with your customers<\/a> about your active hours, response rates, and how to contact you when your support team is out of the office. Provide links to self-service solutions (such as FAQs) when the team is offline and make it clear when they can expect a response. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Big Green Bookshop<\/strong>, for example, <\/strong>has its opening hours clearly stated on its Facebook page, so customers know when they can expect the service team to be online. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Any social media mentions of your brand, products, or services deserve a response. Being sure to respond to customer feedback<\/a>. Whether you\u2019re dealing with a service request, complaint, or general feedback, responding to every mention is an excellent way to improve the customer experience.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n See the variety of comments AmericanAir<\/strong> deals with on their Twitter page\u2026 From thanking people for positive feedback to answering general questions, or complaint-handling, their social media customer service team handles everything. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 81%<\/a> of Twitter users claim they won\u2019t recommend a brand if they don\u2019t receive a response to a Tweet or DM, and not responding to a complaint on social media can lower consumer loyalty<\/a> by 50%<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only should you always respond to customers on social media, but you should also be sure to respond quickly<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because social media users are used to expecting instant messages, delays in response rates can be hugely detrimental to your brand image. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, the majority of social media customers expect a business to respond to a message in under an hour, with 6%<\/a> expecting a response within 5 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Facebook, your page will show your response times prominently. Respond to 90% of messages in 15 minutes or less, and you\u2019ll be awarded a \u2018Very Responsive to Messages\u2019 badge<\/a> to display proudly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re going to be offline, use tools like the Away Messaging service to let customers know when they can expect contact from a customer service social media representative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instant Replies<\/a> on Facebook are also beneficial for keeping your response time down. This sends an automated message to all initial messages and allows you to clarify expectations for when the customer can expect a reply. You can even customize this message to include the recipient\u2019s name for a more personal touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019ve touched on the usefulness of automated tools for helping you handle customer comments on social media already in this article. Still, the benefit of managing social media activities without needing a customer service agent on-hand cannot be overstated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Facebook messenger for businesses<\/a> has loads of customizable automation options to help enhance the live chat experience<\/a>, or you could go for a third-party app<\/a> that will help you manage multiple social service accounts from one place. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Chatbots<\/a> are also really handy for common queries and allow you to offer 24\/7 support even when the team is offline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Herbal Essences<\/strong> takes advantage of the Facebook messenger tools to provide customers with some suggested conversation starters when you first open the chat, while VodafoneUK<\/strong> utilizes a chatbot to help narrow down and resolve customer queries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowing when to move from a public platform into a private message is an essential trick that any social media customer service agent will need to master quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may need to move your conversation onto a private channel when you need personal information such as a booking reference, order number, or mailing address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Complaints are also usually best handled away from the public eye. If someone does open a complaint in a public post, resolve the matter privately, then go back to the original post to let the public know the matter has been handled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See how Harry\u2019s<\/strong> quickly invites customers to get in touch via DM if they have a problem (including inviting one customer who was upset the postal service had damaged the box), and also know when staying public is their best approach: <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you do need to deal with a matter via private message, you\u2019ll want to make this as easy as possible for the customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While you want to ensure people don\u2019t have to wait long to get a customer service response on social media, you may find your social media customer service inquiries quickly building up faster than you can respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Establish a clear priority system as part of your customer service social media strategy: <\/p>\n\n\n\n High Priority<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n – Technical or account-related questions<\/p>\n\n\n\n – Complaints or dissatisfied customers<\/p>\n\n\n\n – Problems affecting multiple problems or potential PR issues<\/p>\n\n\n\n Low Priority<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n – General mentions of your products or services<\/p>\n\n\n\n – Thanking users for positive feedback<\/p>\n\n\n\n – Touching base with people who\u2019ve commented in the past<\/p>\n\n\n\n – Getting involved in discussions about your brand or industry (even if the OP wasn\u2019t targeted at you)<\/p>\n\n\n\n In your customer service social media training, it\u2019s vital to include detailed training on tone of voice and how to appropriately respond to a wide variety of comments, feedback, and potential complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When interacting with customers on social media, the best practice is generally to try and match their tone of voice to ensure an appropriate response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n See how @DuluxUK<\/strong> change their tone of voice in the following 4 Tweets depending on what the customer needs: <\/p>\n\n\n\n In the first Tweet, Dulux is professional and sympathetic as they ask a client to DM them for further assistance. The second thanks someone for sharing their project. The third is a more professional response to a product inquiry. The final Tweet responds to this photo\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good or bad, you should always avoid the temptation to delete examples of social media customer service from your page. Showing that you\u2019ve resolved customer service complaints on social media is a great way to demonstrate your dedication to social media customer care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, deleting negative feedback is likely to enrage already frustrated customers, plus it can negatively affect your trustworthiness<\/a> if you only ever show positive reviews and delete anything or anyone who opposes you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
How can social media be used for customer service?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nProactive<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nReactive<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What social media platforms are my customers using?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>How can I measure the success of my social media customer service?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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<\/span>What tools can I use to enhance customer service on social media?<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. ProProfs Help Desk <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Google Analytics <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Agorapulse <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. NapoleonCat <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Hootsuite <\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>13 tips to make the most out of social media for customer service<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Set up a dedicated social media customer service handle.<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Monitor social media channels for brand mentions<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Be prepared for FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Create a strategy for social media and customer service responses<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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5. Manage customer expectations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
6. Always reply to customers on social media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
7. Always reply to customers on social media quickly<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
8. Use automated social media customer service tools<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
9. Turn public comments into private messages<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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10. Prioritize customer comments and complaints on social media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
11. Match the customers\u2019 TOV when crafting customer service responses on social media<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
12. Don\u2019t delete customer complaints or negative feedback<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"EA](\"https:\/\/lh3.googleusercontent.com\/YWTq1FvIg4vMZjpy7KIg9BzXaK7V2y-AjGvaHaqFxILHECMv2BjvZphD-XwgdnBLIMESsFn4UHsWibLgWuFImxELVaLgNk8a8qCCwmjHtN9ADiDnDs0bDs7bk-y1tLfcmZ9IRt4-\")
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