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    Social Media: Customer Service 101

     
    by Nicole Fassl on Aug 28, 2015 2:48:00 PM
    Nicole Fassl

    Social Media Customer ServiceI’m just going to say it.  It is really hard to always put a smile on your face, or from a marketing perspective, a smile on your typing fingers.  Sometimes it seems as if you can be as nice as humanly possible, and you still can’t please an unhappy customer or potential customer.  I’ve seen wars between businesses and people on social media, because try as they did, the client already made up their mind that they weren’t going to accept an apology...and that’s ok.

    I can remember reading reviews on a daycare when I was looking and one stood out to me that I wouldn’t send my kids to on a bad, bad, tantrum throwing day.  Why?  The business, or whoever they had managing their social was not only not apologizing, but was actually throwing fuel on the well deserved fire.  Horrible customer service, and it was out there for the world to see.  I guess their parent never taught them the ole’ “if you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say nothing at all” statement.  They should have because that was an immediate turn off.

    Another time, I was reading some Yelp reviews on a business that I was interested in and I saw an unhappy customer posting their complaint to the business and telling others they should not give them their business and told everyone about her bad experience.  In this case, the business responded with an apology right off the bat and mentioned a couple things that they were going to do to help try to get back in their good graces.  The customer still wasn’t having it, but the business did everything they could to make amends, and seeing that, I would absolutely give them my service.

    This problem can be for businesses like that but also, for clients you already have.  You can’t lose your mind and go off on them, that would cause a bit of a problem for you. You can only kill them with kindness, and do the best you can to make them happy and fix their problems.  

    So what can you do to make sure that you don’t end up losing a potential client or actual client?  Here are some pointers:

    • Respond to them ASAP.  Whether it be on social or an email, do not wait to assist them or respond to them.  Forty-two percent of customers expect a response in under an hour.

    • Be kind and try to fix the problem, or answer their questions the best you can.

    • Don’t set yourself up.  Be mindful about what you are posting and if it could in anyway offend someone, don’t post it.

    • When answering their questions, be professional.  If you lose it and go postal, you’re not painting a pretty picture of your business, or your personal brand.

    • Offer them something free if you can.  Everyone likes free and it’s a great way to say, “I’m sorry”...you can ask my husband.

    • If things are getting really heated, try to take it offline.  Request that you call them or email them and get to the bottom of it where you don't have an audience.  Just be sure that before that happens, you show your attempt at it to the public.

    Whatever way you answer customer or client complaints, be mindful you are answering as your business, not yourself. In case of emergency, have a disaster plan or feel free to ask us here at KBK for some guidance!

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