With social media altering the way we do
business and how we interact with clients/customers, the customer service
aspect of business has become emphasized like never before. Social media have brought customer
relationship management and customer service to the forefront and have rendered
customer service a form of marketing unto itself. Here’s how:
Social media have enhanced the customer
experience by giving the customer a profound voice. And, for most businesses, this has translated
into having a favorable impact on overall sales and growth. Social media are interactive and customers
can communicate directly with businesses; whether it be to ask questions about
products or services, file complaints or offer praise with respect to products &
services.
Direct dialogue is now possible via most
mainstream social media platforms.
Within a business’ “online community”, the brand benefits via engagement
with customers. This is true both in
terms of insight and ideas that can be garnered from customers as well as how
brand loyalty is being constructed and promoted via word-of-mouth. Listening to what customers are saying and
responding promptly & directly to them is key. Customer service becomes an effective form of
marketing!
To implement customer service as a form of
marketing for your business, ensure that you:
A)
Focus on conversation/engagement
as being the core of your business – concentrate on the exchange of information
and ideas with your customers – interact, listen and respond.
B)
Strive to excel at a more
refined range of things – you can’t be “great” at everything and solve all of the
world’s problems, but you can focus on the things that are most meaningful to
your customers (things that you will come to identify through real dialogue
with them).
C)
Break down the barriers that have
traditionally segregated business and customer – make use of social networking
platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Blogging to get
conversations started and to maintain & manage ongoing, solid relationships
with your customers.
Need some help navigating these social
networking sites? Then our Social
Networking for Business workshop is for you.
Please check out our schedule at: http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20
