Why Social Media Customer Service Matters
Social media allows for real-time, scalable customer service but requires the right strategy, tools, training and workflows. Follow these tips and you’ll boost brand visibility, engagement and loyalty.
- 72% of customers expect a response to social media complaints within an hour (Source)
- Brands that respond quickly on social media can increase customer satisfaction by 20% (Source)
- 42% of customers are more likely to make another purchase after a positive social media service experience (Source)
Fast, helpful service on social platforms provides benefits beyond revenue. It gives customers a voice, making them feel valued, while also providing visibility for your brand.
Elements of a Winning Social Media Customer Service Strategy
- Set response time goals, such as resolving 80% of inquiries within 30 minutes.
- Enable 24/7 coverage with tools and team workflows.
- Establish tone and etiquette guidelines for engagement. Be empathetic, honest and avoid canned responses.
- Create workflows for assigning and routing inquiries to right agents.
- Use software to handle high volumes and enable team collaboration.
Choosing the Right Social Media Management Tools
Leading platforms like Hootsuite, Sprout Social and Zendesk help teams collaborate to provide excellent social customer service.
- Hootsuite offers unified inbox, response templates and reporting. Plans from free to $599/month.
- Sprout Social provides advanced analytics and CRM integration. Plans from $99-$249/month.
- Zendesk focuses on ticketing and agent workflows. Plans from $79-$169/month.
Compare features like inbox management, analytics, reporting and integrations to choose the best fit.
Building a Customer-Focused Social Media Team
- Hire employees with communication skills, customer empathy and multitasking abilities.
- Train agents on your brand voice, engagement guidelines and tools. Roleplaying builds skills.
- Structure the team to have specialized social media roles versus shared support.
- Foster community, transparency and accountability within the team.
Measuring Success of Social Media Customer Service
- Track response time, resolution rate, sentiment and follow-up surveys.
- Use first contact resolution rate as an ROI metric.
- Tools like Hootsuite, Sprout Social and Zendesk provide reporting.
- Set goals based on benchmarks: 80% 30-min response, 90% 24-hr resolution etc.
Real-World Examples of Social Media Customer Service Done Right
- Zappos offers 24/7 service and empowers agents to “go above and beyond.”
- JetBlue has response times under 30 minutes, with agents who embody its friendly brand.
- Small bakery Jane’s on Main charms followers with its conversational tone on Facebook.
Stellar social media customer service boosts brand image and drives revenue. Follow these tips to connect with customers, improve experiences and track ROI. With the right strategy, tools and team, your brand can provide service that shines.
