If you have a business page on Facebook, Twitter or other social media platforms, chances are you have customers coming to the page with customer service issues. Here are 8 tips for masterfully handling customer service over social media:

  1. Listen to your customers. Hear what people have to say and show that you are understanding them rather than jumping to conclusions. This thoughtfulness also prevents the customer from feeling that their opinion or problem is irrelevant to you.
  2. Remain calm at all times. Even when a customer attempts to provoke you or when they’re ranting on social media, remember everyone can hear, so remain calm. Think about the repercussions of what you post and if it’s helping or hurting your business.
  3. Be active. Interact with your customer and show them you care. This goes for any mention of your business. Being active and interactive is a great way to show the public that your business values their customers.
  4. Be responsive. It goes without saying that the sooner you respond, the happier the customer will be. If you see a message from a customer, acknowledge them and respond right away!
  5. Focus on resolution. When the customer uses social media for customer service, they are looking for a resolution, not to be transferred multiple times or to be pitched another sale. Be straight forward and give them exactly what they’re looking for.
  6. Know your customers. In order to properly deal with your customers, you must figure who they are and cater to their needs. This includes demographics such as age, location, salary, etc.
  7. Have a personality. No matter what the topic is, always be enthusiastic when talking to a customer. Encourage all of your employees or partners with customer-facing roles to adopt that same energy. Although they may only be managing customer service and social media, their voice is reflective of the brand and company culture.
  8. Be human. Show your customers that you’re more than an automated response. Reach out to them for feedback and to follow up if needed. Being human means you will also make mistakes, so learn to admit your mistakes in order to resolve them with customers.

Handling customer relationships is no easy task, especially through social media. Always be ready to respond, because often, when people want concerns to be heard publicly, their comments are quite provocative. Make it easier for your customers to get a hold of you and start your social media page today!

 

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