What is the role of Social Media in customer service?

Social media is a key tool for driving brand identity and marketing. It is therefore imperative to have a social media presence in this day and age. According to Ermasys 2019, there are 3.2 billion social media users worldwide. It is no surprise that most people are taking advantage and even using up to 3 social media platforms for their businesses! However, if tact and keenness are not employed in using these platforms, they might not reap any benefits.

The manner in which one relates to customers on these platforms can either build or break a brand. It is therefore vital that social media is viewed as a customer service forum. The fact that 42% of the world’s current population are social media users indicates that most people spend a substantial amount of time on their phones. While browsing through various online platforms, accessing effective and responsive support is important.

So, how can social media help with customer service? It helps one respond to complaints fast and efficiently. The famous saying “the customer is always right” often comes up when a customer complains about a product they have purchased. This is not always because the products are inauthentic. It might be because of customer expectations or a simple communication breakdown.

In this digital age, it’s the norm to reach for our devices and launch complaints on any companies’ social media pages. Companies/service providers can take this as an opportunity to engage with frustrated customer(s) and resolve any issues. Being accessible on social media allows responses to complaints within a short timeframe, calming a storm before it erupts! This level of efficiency could save a brand’s face and reputation.

Social media also allows constant engagement with customers. For instance, one can launch giveaways to market a brand, ask questions and feature testimonials of people who have had good experiences with the brand. Moreover, one can examine reviews and responses from customers much faster on social media than any other way. This feedback is often offered voluntarily which is easier than conducting surveys that may have little to no responses. Getting to know what customers have to say is very important because it helps one identify what the pain points are and allows for improvement.

Above everything, social media allows great control of a brand’s image. Social media can help build brand awareness and gives liberty to choose how a brand interacts with people. This is because one is in control of the content put out and can choose a voice that matches the brand and tell a great story about it.

Today, there are millions of people who probably interact with certain brands only via social media pages. Needless to say, having social media content that truly depicts the truth of a brand is very crucial. Stories can be told through images and other engaging medium to allow a brand to stand out. Companies like Daniel Wellington have mastered the art of telling stories through use of images of only watches.

Evidently, social media can be used as customer service tool by organizations, companies or any other entities. On various platforms e.g. Facebook, responses can either be automated or manual. Facebook is a great instrument for measuring responsiveness and provides minute details like response time. Since it might not always be possible to respond in real time, enabling bot/automated responses allows you to respond at a later time, ideally in less than a day. Bot-responses make customers feel their queries are important and will be attended to.

However, to effectively use l these social media platforms and techniques, a good mastery of digital marketing is necessary. At Digital 4 Africa, we offer training that equips you with skills in digital marketing. You are taken through interactive and intensive sessions on subjects like content marketing, social media strategy, analytics and many more. Contact us on 0743830663 or visit our website for more details.

Fiona Waithira is a content writer. Check out her blog on allthingsprecious.wordpress.com