Social media have driven a shift in the control of brand sentiment in favour of the consumer. While the majority of businesses continue to offer no or very poor (social) customer service via their social media channels, others are responding very effectively to this increasing customer demand.
These companies are using social media to pro-actively seek out, engage with and manage customer opinion, while positioning themselves as both social businesses and customer-centric organisations.
Social Customer Service
Social Customer Service can be defined as Social Media/Business meets Customer Care, and has emerged as a result of organic online conversation taking place about business where the business did not have a communication or service strategy in place to manage in a positive way.
“Engaging in honest, direct conversations with customers and stakeholders is a part of who we are, who we always have been. The social web amplifies our opportunity to listen and learn and invest ourselves in two-way dialogue, enabling us to become a better company with more to offer the people who depend on us” – Michael Dell
In order to achieve a well ordered and managed online customer service experience there are many factors to take into account. A recent Forrester Report detailing the online Customer service vision for 2013 noted that:
“Across all demographics, voice is still the primary communication channel used, but is quickly followed by self-service channels, and digital channels like chat and email. Channel usage rates are also quickly changing: we’ve seen a 12% rise in web self-service usage, a 24% rise in chat usage, and a 25% increase in community usage for customer service in the past three years. Expect customer service organizations to better align their channel strategy this year to support their company’s customers’ needs. Expect them to also work on guiding customers to the right channel based on the complexity and time sensitivity of interactions.”
Ahain Group Report on Social Customer Service
This Ahain Group Report on Social Customer Service details the components of Social Customer Service across the digital spectrum providing best practice studies and key insights into Social care conduct and the management of brand reputation through crisis. In conjunction with this report, the Ahain Group will run a Social Customer Service Master Class on Tuesday 1st October in Dublin.
Social Customer Service Master Class
The Social Customer Service Master Class will be delivered by leading trainer Greg Fry. The focus will be on the skills and knowledge required by business to manage the online customer service needs of the social consumer. The course is suitable for customer centric organisations and professionals. Places are limited to twelve and are on a first- come, first- served basis.
Download the Report: Social Business | Social Customer Service, Care & Support.
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