The New Frontline: Social Media Customer Service
Today, I’d like to have a little chat with you about an increasingly important topic in the world of business: outsourcing social media customer service. Yes, you read that right.
You might be wondering, "Outsource? Social media customer service?" Let’s delve a bit deeper into the why’s and how’s and what it can mean for your business.
Understanding Social Media Customer Service
In today's digital age, customer service has extended beyond just the traditional phone calls and emails. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn have taken center stage in the customer service arena.
These platforms have provided businesses a unique opportunity to connect with customers on a more personal level, address their issues promptly, and showcase their brand's commitment to customer satisfaction.
Yet, managing customer service on these platforms can be overwhelming. It's not just about addressing complaints or questions; it's about managing your brand's image, creating engaging content, monitoring trends, and a whole lot more.
That's where outsourced social media customer service steps in, making your life easier and your business more successful.
Social Media Marketing Isn't Customer Service: Understanding the Difference
Before we move further, there's a crucial distinction we need to understand. Social media customer service and social media marketing, while interconnected, are not the same. They each have unique goals, strategies, and benefits.
Let's break down the differences.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is all about brand awareness, promotion, and attracting potential customers. It's about creating and sharing engaging content that intrigues, entertains, and educates your audience, with the ultimate goal of converting them into customers.
When you launch a new product, start a promotional campaign, or post that perfectly curated photo on Instagram, that's social media marketing. It involves a proactive approach to boosting your brand's online presence and reputation through content. It's about you attracting potential customers.
Social Media Customer Service
On the other hand, social media customer service isn't about content. It involves responding to customer queries, addressing complaints, and providing assistance to those who reach out to your brand through social media.
It's about answering that direct message asking about your product features, or addressing a comment from a disgruntled customer who had a less-than-perfect experience with your product.
It's about your customers reaching out to you and you offering timely, helpful responses.
The Interplay and Importance of Both
While they are distinct, social media marketing and customer service are closely intertwined. The content you post as part of your marketing strategy can prompt questions or comments that need customer service.
Similarly, excellent customer service experiences can bolster your marketing efforts by creating happy customers who share their positive experiences, thus promoting your brand.
In a nutshell, social media marketing is the voice of your brand that talks, while social care is the ear of your brand that listens. Both are essential for a successful social media strategy.
Outsourcing: Why Your Business Needs to Consider This Now
The landscape of customer service has transformed dramatically. With more than half of the world’s population using social media, these platforms have become the new frontline for customer service.
Customers are no longer just calling or emailing; they're tweeting, posting, and direct messaging their inquiries and complaints -- and you must meet them on their channel of choice.
Social media is 24/7 and immediate, but the downside is it can also be demanding and relentless. This is where outsourcing comes in.
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Yes, outsourcing customer service on social media channels is not only a feasible solution but also a strategic move to enhance your business's overall customer experience.
Why Outsource Your Social Media Customer Service?
Imagine this: A customer posts a complaint about your product on Twitter at 10 PM on a Saturday. You're probably sleeping, and your in-house team only works Monday through Friday. The complaint sits unanswered for days, and by Monday morning, it has been shared and commented on by several others. Damage done!
But what if there was a team managing your social media every day of the week, promptly responding to customers, and professionally handling any issues that arise?
This is the beauty of outsourced social customer care. Your social media pages never sleep, so neither should your customer support.
Outsourcing has been around for ages, especially for functions like payroll and IT services. Now, it's time to consider social media support in this light. But why?
Let me share with you some reasons:
Picking the Right Partner
Choosing the right outsourcing partner is a crucial decision. You're not just hiring a service provider; you're choosing a partner who will represent your brand to the public.
Here are some factors to consider:
Transforming Customer Experience
At the end of the day, outsourcing social media customer service can be a strategic move to transform your customer experience. It offers you the opportunity to provide quicker, more efficient responses, showing your customers that you truly care.
And faster responses do matter. Just take a look at this study by hotjar...
And, see #4? Bots aren't always the answer to being faster!
As a business, your customers are your most important asset, and their satisfaction can be the difference between success and failure. By leveraging the expertise of an outsourced social support team, you can focus on delivering exceptional products or services, knowing that your customers are being taken care of.
So, what do you think? Is outsourcing social media customer service something your business needs?
Remember, it's not about giving away control; it's about partnering with experts to deliver the best possible experience to your customers.
And that, reader, is a worthy investment.
Now, here comes the part with a little pitch. If you're wondering where to find a reliable, experienced, and skilled social media customer service team, look no further.
My company offers high-quality, 365-days-a-year social media customer service solutions that are tailored to your business needs. Don't wait for a social media crisis to happen!
Get in touch with us today and let's start taking your social care to the next level.
Brooke - what a fabulous article! The biggest takeaway I see is the 20% Long wait/Response times - because it really isn't about how long the brand took to respond - it's about the customer/potential customer's PERCEPTION about how long they took to respond! Because of the omnichannel nature of social these days, you never know where, when or how the outreach will occur - or what they expect! Meeting that expectation is hard when you don't have a clue - which is why what you do is so relevant - it meets them where they are, when they are and what channel they choose, and depending on the cadence, their perception and expectation are then turned into a positive experience.
Executive | Marketing, Financial Services | Proven Leader, Innovator, and 'Culture Carrier'
1ySimply can't love this article more! As a practitioner who you know had a difficult time convincing internal stakeholders of this, I appreciate your explanation, Brooke! Social Marketing and Social Care are a "1+1=3" equation for sure! Thank you!
Co-Founder & Chief Service Officer at B Squared Media, LLC | Social Media Management | Social Media Listening | Community & Customer Care through Social Media | Digital Advertising
1yThanks Brooke B.! Great info for the readers to consider. We need a cool 80s slogan for this service - "Invest with best and we will take care of the rest."