Most companies I work with get the social-media customer service thing all wrong. They monitor Twitter, Facebook, etc., and respond to customer comments. But if all you're doing is responding to customer complaints, you're falling behind the curve.
Within the past couple of years, companies have figured out how to take social-media customer service to a higher level. No longer do they simply react to comments posted on social-media channels. They also engage in conversations with their customer communities. They interact and provide valuable information.
Nevertheless, you can't ignore customer feedback. Here are three important things to remember when responding to customers online:
1. Speed counts. Reaction time is extremely important. If I had wanted my question answered in two hours, I'd have waited two hours to ask it. Here's an interesting tidbit: Social marketing firm Socialbakers claims the average wait time in the social-media world is nine hours. Meanwhile, the 2014 American Express Global Customer Service Barometer indicates that 25 percent of consumers who complain on social media expect a response in less than an hour. When your customer complains online, he wants a response now.
