3 Tips for Flawless Facebook Customer Service

Picture this: an eager customer walks in to shop at their favorite independent retailer in town, only to be completely ignored. After browsing, they ask a simple question that goes unheard. Eventually, the discouraged customers leaves the store empty handed.

Don’t worry, something like this would never happen in your store because you deliver exceptional customer service! But, is something similar happening on your Facebook Page? Read on for three tips to help take your flawless customer service to your Facebook Page.

1. Respond in a timely manner

Most indie retailers wear many different hats in their stores, varying from human resource person to social media specialist to customer service provider. Many are the lone employee in the store, so it can become difficult to make time for Facebook when you should be focusing on customers.

You schedule store events, happenings and sales, so why not create a social media calendar? Designate specific times of the day to check in on Facebook, respond to customers and Like other Pages’ posts. If this is still something that is too hard to manage with your one-person shop, make a commitment to respond to all comments – whether they’re asking a specific question or not – within 24 hours.

2. Address all comments – positive AND negative

Part of the beauty of Facebook is that posts, good and bad, are out there for the public to see. Many customers use Facebook as a way to ask questions about products, store events and hours, instead of calling the store directly. Encourage their continued participation on your page by replying, even if it’s to thank them for their opinion on a product.

Negative feedback is something you will inevitably face in the online world. It’s so convenient for shoppers to post a negative comment about a store and for others to see and even respond to it. So be prepared to address the situation as you would if the customer was physically in your store. A simple apology will often times solve the problem, but if not, take it to the next level and go above and beyond to provide exceptional customer service in the form of a discount, if possible. The fact that you are taking the time to resolve the situation and provide exceptional customer service speaks volumes. If the customer is still unhappy after your attempts to smooth it over, suggest they send you a private message or call the store directly to further address the issue. You don’t need to have a long conversation with a perturbed customer on social media. It’s perfectly acceptable to take it offline.

3. Add a personal touch

You take pride in providing personal service in every aspect of your store, from your greeting to your free gift wrapping. Continue that personal touch on Facebook through your replies to fans’ comments. Add a personal touch by “tagging” a customer who posts a comment either on one of your posts or on your wall. A tag is adding turning the person’s name into a clickable link to their timeline. Plus, when you add a tag, your fan will receive an instant notification of your response to the comment. In other words, it’s almost like you’re addressing them by name in an actual conversation. To tag someone, simply type the @ symbol and then the fan’s name and you’ll receive a pop-up with their name and picture. Click on it and you’ve successfully tagged the fan in your post.

After typing your message, develop the practice of signing your response with either your first name, initials or the name of an appropriate person in the store. That way, customers can put a name to the person replying. Don’t be afraid to add a little fun to your message by adding emoticons, like a smiling face or a winking face. Everyone loves to have a little fun and it helps to humanize social media.

Overall, the simplest way to bring your customer service online is to not overthink it. If you treat your online fans like you do your regular customers, it will all flow naturally.

BONUS: Improve loyalty by showing your customers how much you appreciate their business. Use the beautifully designed social posts, cover images and matching stickers from SnapRetail’s collection of customer appreciation tactics to help you get started. Download yours now.

Contributed by Kelley Sloyer, the interactive copywriter for SnapRetail – a ready-to-use online marketing solution that helps independent retailers engage and sell to customers using email and social media. She has a retail and a writing background, earning a bachelor’s degree in communications media and journalism from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. For more information, please visit snapretail.com.