Everyone has their favorite social media platforms but many businesses will always have a special place in their heart for Twitter. Social platforms like Instagram, Vine, and LinkedIn are terrific for engaging fans and gaining followers but nothing beats Twitter as a truly exceptional customer service platform. Let's take a look at what makes it so great.
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Real-time, all the time
Customers who need help with product or service issues frequently turn to Twitter for immediate assistance and resolution. In fact, these days it's common to for people to tweet problems and frustrations as they occur. Rather than let that scenario intimidate you, consider it a gift from the marketing gods. Thanks to Twitter, you can help customers instantaneously and keep situations from becoming bigger than they need to be.
The immediacy of the Twitter platform makes it enticing for anyone looking for quick answers or instant contact from their favorite brands. If a Twitter presence is part of your customer service strategy, make sure you have the resources to back it up. A recent study by Brandwatch revealed less than two-thirds of retail brands respond to targeted tweets from customers.
A customer service toolbox at your fingertips
It's easy to respond to customer questions or issues with a back-and-forth conversation in your timeline, but don't forget the platform's other features that helps your customer service shine. Some situations are best handled over Direct Message, such as when you need additional account information or details.
As Leon Widrich, co-founder of BufferApp.com points out, "try DMs instead of the regular 'please send an email to [email protected],' which tends to prolong the time it takes to solve the problem. You can send 2 or 3 DMs in a row if this allows you to answer your customer's problem right away."
Twitter has a number of other built-in features to help provide top-notch customer service. Use the video feature to create quick visual tutorials and the group private messaging feature to loop other departments into conversations with customers for an all-hands-on-deck approach. Third-party apps like Hootsuite or Twilert include tools to notify you instantly if someone mentions you in a tweet.
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Friends helping friends
Twitter's familial atmosphere encourages people to help each other troubleshoot and solve problems, making it an ideal platform for your followers to engage in customer service by proxy. Happy, enthusiastic customers love to tell others about their experiences and serve as brand ambassadors. Twitter is a perfect medium for bringing users and customers together to help each other out with common issues, freeing up your time to solve larger customer support situations.
How do you use Twitter to provide exceptional customer service? Share your best tips in the comments!
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