MAD Perspectives Blog

The decision to engage via social networks is not a casual one. Or, at least it shouldn't be.  As evidenced by the recent decision of a Charter Communications to cease its social media efforts related to customer support, social media is not easy.  There is a misconception that social media is "free".  Sure, it doesn't cost anything to create a Twitter account or a Facebook or LinkedIn Page.  However, an investment can be made in branding these sites. More importantly and investment MUST be made in aligning the right resources - human and other.

Charter's challenge was related to resourcing and responsiveness. Their decision was a wise one considering that they did not dedicate enough resources to managing their social customer support channels. If a business does not have the resources or tools in place to listen, monitor and react to issues raised via social networks, they should not use them. Especially when it customer to customer service. Any customer who posts a concern about a product or service on any social network, is looking for an immediate response. The answer may be provided by another customer, but the company must also respond. They must acknowledge the concern and take action to address the concern. 

Good social support often combines traditional methods with social solutions. Support communities are just that - a forum for open discussion of concerns shared by many. The benefit is that the community often resolves the issue on behalf of the company, based on its collective experience. A good community manager will thank the member who provided the answer and perhaps point the community to further information about the particular challenge. If the concern is larger than what can be resolved online, the community manager must facilitate the transition to a phone discussion with the right resources to solve the problem.

Social media has change the face of customer satisfaction. It has introduced a new level of urgency - a demand for immediate resolution of any problem. A customer support model that incorporates social media is a high wire act. It demands a balance of core strength - meaning a deep bench of expertise to solve a range of customer issues, and artistry - meaning the vision to understand how to blend traditional, online and social tools to serve the customer. 

Many will argue that companies MUST incorporate social media into their support models. Just as many are correct in delaying their use of social networks for support. These are the companies that recognize that they don't have the right resources in place to deliver the level of support their customer will demand. Or these are customers in industries that have been slower in their adoption of social media. These companies will slowly build their capabilities and when they are ready, they will take their first tentative steps. 

What's your perspective?

Here we are, in the midst of the holiday season. It's supposed to be a time of good cheer, yet we are all feeling the stress of find just the right gift for that special someone, while we try to balance work demands and holiday social commitments. In the midst of this, I have been exposed to an appalling amount of poor customer service. Doesn't every business know, that it now takes very little for someone to share their dissatisfaction with friends, family, heck - the world, with just a few keystrokes?

Whether it is the online arm of a brick & mortar storefront whose website doesn't seem to allow you to enter your credit card information, or the furnace repair company who can't seem to return phone calls (or solve problems), or the grumbly girl at the department store checkout - you are the frontline of customer satisfaction for your business. Unhappy customers wlll turn to Facebook, Twitter, blogs and forums to share their concerns in an attempt to find answers. This is the age of social media.

Angie's List has evolved to be the social forum for home improvement specialists. It serves, not only as a destination to seek recommendations but also to be cautioned about shoddy workmanship or poor customer services.  YouTube videos have been created by individuals who have been poorly served by airlines, restaurants, shipping companies or technology.  Twitter has almost become the default social network for complaints including a hashtag calling out the perpetrator of poor customer service.

Customer experience has become an overused buzz word, yet it's an apt description of where businesses must focus their energies. Our ability to complete transactions, to feel as if our needs are met or our concerns addressed are the keys to customer loyalty - and revenue for any business. Many large companies have turned to social media to augment their customer engagement efforts. This is a good step if it is well though out. Most companies have a LOT of data collected by their call centers.  However, this is data collected after a problem has occurred. The challenge may be determining how to prevent that challenge from occurring in the first place.

This can be done through education and communication.  and, this is where social media can make a difference. Rather than posting documentation to a website that no one ever reads, even though it provides valuable insights - repurpose that document as a series of blogs. Highlight best practices via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Host a group on LinkedIn specific to products and customer support. Analyze your call center volume and identify the highest areas of concern. Get ahead of those problems by alerting customers to potential problems that you know you can easily solve. Post solutions to recurring problems. Pay attention to social activity - listen for problems, acknowledge and address them quickly.

Social media can't solve every problem, but it can help with many. The manner in which your business engages its customers reflects their importance to you. A friendly voice is a plus, but it is meaningless if they cannot provide answers. The key to success in customer services is to listen, acknowledge and respond.  Give credence to your customer's concern and find a solution that works for them - and your company.  

It's the same in the social domain. Use social monitoring to listen.  Establish a policy for how to acknowledge and respond to customer concerns. The key is to act quickly. The longer a wound is open and festering in the social domain, the more likely it is to become deeply and widely infected.

What's your perspective?

A client recently asked me about using social media for customer service. I am engaged with this client on a variety of marketing topics, but nothing related to social media - so far! I like that the client asked about how social media could help them enhance their ability to serve their customers. It shows their intent to satisfy their customers. It also reflects their curiosity about how different platforms can help them.

This customer has recently integrated Salesforce.com into their overall support process. They are able to track trouble tickets more effectively and manage potential escalations more efficiently. Their goal is to resolve problems as quickly as possible. However, they would also like to help their customers with some self-service options - allowing them to quickly diagnose and fix simple issues on their own. They would like to be proactive and prevent problems before they occur. This requires the capability to understand customer concerns before they actually call the help desk.

This client has a limited social media presence. They are using the primary social networks in a controlled manner, at present. Given their cautious approach to social media, I did not suggest that they start tweeting customer support answers (or create a Facebook page or LInkedIn Group dedicated to support). Rather, given their pre-existing relationship with Salesforce.com, I asked them if they were aware of Radian6 and its ability to monitor the social web to understand customer comments, concerns and sentiment. They were not familiar with Radian6, but were intrigued.

We discussed how platforms like Radian6, Visible Technologies, Sysomos, Attensity360 and others, provide the platform to listen to online customer conversations related to a brand and its products. We brainstormed how this client could combine its in-house data related to customer issues with social interactions related to product performance, installation, usability or competitive products. The client understood the power of gaining greater insight into customers concerns. They were intrigued to understand that they could use this insight to help define their strategy for self-service support.

The client is at the earliest stages of developing this strategy. Given their relationship with Salesforce.com, i'm confident they will pursue a discussion with them about Radian6. I anticipate Radian6 helping them with a trial to demonstrate the type of data they can obtain to help them understand customer priorities. Customer support is the most critical element in securing customer satisfaction. The power of listening to customers is an art that continues to evolve thanks to social media monitoring platforms.  Are you listening to your customers?

What's your perspective?