Encouraging customer service feedback through social media

Customer service feedback

After a long session of surf or for that matter a good or bad customer service occurence, most clients want to share what they experienced. The choice for companies is either to encourage this desire for communication so that it creates the right swell when positive or to put their head in the sand and hope the bad press goes away. Social media is making a two tier system more difficult to organise as the good mixes with the bad. To counter this, some companies are starting to set up dedicated accounts on Twitter for the problem areas such as delivery issues or service outage. But, is this segmentation approach going to succeed by containing the less positive stories or is it a serious threat to the holistic nature of social media?

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Over the moon because of good customer service

Customer service moonlight

It is all about setting the right expectations:
"reaching for the moon" is probably too ambitious and "once in a blue moon" does not happen often enough. The attributes of a good customer service programme need to take into account the fact that customers like to know what to expect and do hope to receive more each time.


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Customer service: the risk of social media fatigue

Social media customer service

Social media is still a black and white world, customers like it or they don't. Interestingly a shade of gray has appeared recently with a number of social media converts complaining of fatigue and returning to more traditional ways of communication such as handwriting. If the trend setters are already considering a switch away from social media, customer service executives have to consider very carefully their customer relationship management strategy: heavy investment in the new digital marketing world should be matched with proper stocking up of pens and paper.

Picture courtesy of http://www.wearesnook.com/ with our thanks. Snook is a new initiative that service designers Sarah Drummond and Lauren Currie have launched in Scotland.

Making your customers feel welcome

Welcome customers:

Maintaining good customer relationship is all about making customers feel welcome. Even if the door looks good it is much better when it is open.

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Importance of customer service: seeing the light

Customers love their freedom but definitely need guidance and help, thereby making customer relationship management a complex endeavour. If rightly done though, the customer will be guided to the right place and do the right thing: buying multiple products and services

 

The importance of customer service cannot be overstated. In today's competitive marketplace, businesses that provide excellent customer service are more likely to succeed than those that do not.

There are many reasons why customer service is so important. First, it can help to build customer loyalty. When customers have a positive experience with a company's customer service, they are more likely to do business with that company again in the future.

Second, customer service can help to increase sales. When customers are happy with the way they are treated, they are more likely to spend more money with a company.

Third, customer service can help to improve a company's reputation. When customers have a positive experience with a company's customer service, they are more likely to recommend that company to their friends and family.

Fourth, customer service can help to reduce costs. When customers have a positive experience with a company's customer service, they are less likely to complain or file a lawsuit. This can save companies a significant amount of money.

Fifth, customer service can help to improve employee morale. When employees are happy with the way they are treated, they are more likely to be productive and engaged in their work. This can lead to a more positive work environment and improved customer service.

There are many ways to improve customer service. Some of the most important things that companies can do include:

• Hiring friendly and knowledgeable employees who are willing to go the extra mile for customers.
• Providing customers with multiple channels for getting in touch with customer service, such as phone, email, and social media.
• Making it easy for customers to find the information they need.
• Responding to customer inquiries promptly and courteously.
• Taking steps to resolve customer complaints quickly and fairly.
• Continuously monitoring and improving customer service.

By following these tips, companies can improve their customer service and reap the many benefits that come with it.

In addition to the above, here are some specific examples of how customer service can help businesses:

• A study by American Express found that 80% of customers are willing to spend more money with a company that provides excellent customer service.
• A study by Bain & Company found that a 5% improvement in customer retention can lead to a 25% increase in profits.
• A study by the National Retail Federation found that 70% of customers will stop doing business with a company after just one bad experience with customer service.

These studies clearly show that customer service is essential for businesses of all sizes. By providing excellent customer service, businesses can attract new customers, retain existing customers, and increase profits.

Not prepared to pay for good customer service

Customer service and your finances

Customers definitely want companies to understand the importance of good customer service in finance sector and to employ people who have the right skills to deliver. But, with the consequences of the credit crunch still being felt, many customers are down to their last pennies and simply not prepared to pay extra for service. If finance companies want to offer high quality service to some clients (and charge for it) whilst keeping a keenly priced mainstream offering, they should adjust their brand proposition by either offering distinct products and services, potentially under two brands or, more dramatically, by focusing on only one segment of the market.

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