Providing Social Media Customer Support: The Guideline

Social Media Customer Support is the practice of using social tools to resolve customer questions or concerns. Social Customer Support is highly effective because it allows customers to reach your team on the platforms they already use.

Social Media Customer Service is also among the Customer Service Trends that many businesses pay attention to follow in 2023.

Social Media Customer Service stats

Why should your business plan include Social Media Customer service solutions? It’s straightforward: Customers want companies to provide Social Media Customer Service.

On Facebook Messenger, 1 billion messages are sent and received each month by individuals and organizations.
70% of consumers anticipate messaging businesses more in the future with inquiries about Customer Service.
64% of customers would prefer to send a message than make a phone call.
18.7% of social buyers in the United States finished their most recent transactions within the social app. It makes little sense for people to look elsewhere for Customer Service when they are making direct purchases on social media.
In 2021, Forrester forecasts a 40% rise in digital Customer Service contacts.
High-ranking banks on social media reply to customer care inquiries in under one hour.
Within 15 minutes, 59% of brand responses to user Tweets are made.
When businesses don’t have a separate Twitter account for customer care, this figure falls to 30%.
45% of businesses responded to Facebook Page messages after more than five days.
On Instagram, 9% of brands don’t respond to comments; on Facebook, 16% of brands don’t.
69% of American Facebook users who message brands claim that doing so increases their trust in the company.
40% of Christmas buyers claim that brands that allow for messaging increase their likelihood of considering a purchase.
Bad Customer Service is cited as a concern when making an online purchase by 60% of Internet users.
A U.S. survey found that 36% of participants cited “excellent Customer Service” as a reason for their online brand recommendations.

1. Set up a dedicated handle for Social Media Customer support

Your customer care team is probably better equipped than your social media marketing team to respond to consumer inquiries quickly and thoroughly. According to the social media and customer care statistics mentioned above, Twitter accounts for customer support are more likely to reply within 15 minutes.

Because of this, it may be a good idea for firms to use a different social media account to provide solutions for Social Media Customer Support.

This aids in removing customer care and supports concerns from your main channel. It also guarantees that you designate the appropriate teams to watch the appropriate categories of incoming public messages.

Include the handle of your brand’s customer care social media channel in the biographies of your other social media profiles if you develop one. This makes it clear who to contact for requests pertaining to support.

People will continue to contact you for support and service issues using your primary social media names. Instead of checking your main profile to see if you have a support account, they might just use the brand handle they already know.

If a support request arrives on your primary social media channel, forward it to the appropriate team and reply from your Social Media Customer Support.

2. Find and monitor conversations relevant to your business

Of course, a lot of people will write online reviews of your company without mentioning any of your social media profiles. A customer care response may be necessary for some of these topics.

Therefore, you eagerly anticipate being mentioned in requests for customer help on social media. You must keep an eye on conversations involving your brand. Then, even if a consumer didn’t contact you, you can respond to them if they have a service issue.

3. Create social media guidelines

Compared to social marketing, Social Media Customer Support has different potentials and obstacles. But having social media policies in place is just as crucial.

These ought to be in line with the social marketing team’s values and those of your business.

Your brand’s rules for online customer service should address issues like:

Tone of voice
Response time for each channel
Answers to frequently asked questions
Protocol for escalations or other customer issues
A message approval procedure and a permission management system

4. Be proactive

Customers should be given access to self-service information resources if they frequently have the same inquiries.

Sharing educational materials on your Social Media Customer Service channels is a terrific idea. For instance, you could write a blog article about best practices or produce a how-to video. It all comes down to teaching clients how to utilize your items to their full potential.

You might also post updates about any known service faults if you provide an online service.

These tools will aid in lowering the volume of support requests that are received. Additionally, it’s simple to direct individuals with basic assistance questions there.

Self-help resources work well in Instagram Stories highlights and pinned posts.

5. Expand your idea of what customer service can be

Consider what constitutes a customer service issue broadly. There is a vast range of how businesses use social media for customer service. It need not be limited to addressing issues and grievances.

Anything that helps your consumers feel more like a part of your brand qualifies as customer service. It ought to increase their comfort level when using, recommending, and purchasing your products.

6. Manage customer expectations

On Social Media Customer Support, customers don’t anticipate the same standards of customer care from all businesses.

According to a recent survey, clients who spend more on services anticipate receiving a higher caliber of social customer care. According to a different study, airlines with larger incomes provide more sympathetic customer service on Twitter.

Of course, depending on the size of the team at hand, different businesses may approach using social media for customer support.

The most crucial step is to correctly set client expectations. Indicate the hours that your support team is available and the potential wait time for a response. Inform them of any additional tools they can utilize to obtain information more quickly.

7. Always respond

Although it might seem obvious, not all businesses abide by this rule. As you can see from the Social Media Customer care statistics above, most brands, but not all, reply to comments on Facebook and Instagram.

Customers may or may not be asking inquiries about your brand on social media (yet). Responding to all inquiries on social media platforms demonstrates your attentive customer service. This demonstrates to potential customers that you are concerned about their needs.

If a potential consumer asks for support and doesn’t receive it, they’ll probably turn to your rivals.

8. Respond quickly—with templates for common questions

Simply answering is insufficient. Customers anticipate a prompt, courteous response when they contact brands on Social Media Customer Support.

Your Facebook page makes it crystal clear whether you reply to customer messages promptly. You will receive a Very Responsive to Messages badge if you reply to 90% of messages with a response time of 15 minutes or less.

It’s acceptable if your Social Media Customer Service isn’t available around-the-clock. Simply set realistic expectations for your customers.

Make it clear what hours your social customer service is open. Inform customers when you will be offline. Link to resources for self-help. In the interim, tell them how to contact other customer support avenues (like your Call Center).

When your social customer support team is not available, utilize Facebook’s Away Messaging feature to send an automated answer. Your standing as a Very Responsive person is not affected by messages that you get while you are away.

On Facebook, you may also utilize Instant Replies to automatically reply to all initial messages. This is especially helpful when things are busier than usual. You can let customers know when they can expect a personal response from you.

To make the reply more personalized, you can even use Facebook’s customization features to include the recipient’s first and/or last name.

Quick Replies, an Instagram function, is comparable. Answers to frequently asked questions can be pre-written so you can easily respond with a few touches.

9. Try a chatbot for common service requests

Using chatbots, you may provide 24/7 basic Social Customer Assistance. In a poll of international banking and insurance consumers, the always-on capability of chatbots driven by AI came out on top.

Providing Social Media Customer Support — Source: eMarketer

Customers can get the information they need right away from chatbots. When your staff is offline, that resource is crucial. Simple inquiries that you receive frequently seem to work best for bots.

10. Use the right channels—most likely Facebook and Twitter

Use the channels where your audience is already active for your social customer care to be successful.

To find out where people are already talking about your business online, keep an eye on social media channels. This will help you decide which Social Media Customer care channels to focus on.

People are more inclined to complain on the sites where they are most engaged, according to Consumer Reports. Facebook was utilized by 84% of consumers who complained on social media, and Twitter by 26%.

11. Take public conversations private

Customers may reach out to you on Social Media Customer with inquiries or demands that are better handled in a private setting. You might require private information, such as a booking number or account name.

You can leave a private message in response to public comments on Facebook. When you do this, the chat moves to Facebook Messenger, where it can be conducted more privately. To reply privately, simply click Message beneath the customer’s comment.

Make sure to include a note if you reply by direct message (DM) on Instagram or Twitter to let the user know to check their DMs. Then, other people can see that you made a private effort to find a solution.

Social Media Customer Service Examples

Let’s take a look at how companies use social media for customer service with some real-world examples.

Starbucks: Social listening for potential in customer service

Starbucks is aware that not every social media post mentioning a brand will include the account’s name. They do this by using social listening to track pertinent brand keywords. When necessary, they respond with a customer service message.

A customer Tweeted into the abyss asking if Starbucks delivers in this scenario. Quickly providing instructions on how to order from Uber Eats, the social team responded.

Zappos: renowned customer service for satisfied clients

People frequently vent their frustrations with products or post unfavorable encounters on social media. Except for Zappos. Unexpectedly many Twitter users criticize Zappos for their exceptional levels of customer service.

Their key is providing each and every consumer with a prompt and efficient answer. Additionally, a tone that successfully blends friendliness and pragmatism.

Social Media Customer Service solutions and tools

Helps manage incoming Social Media Customer Support queries through:

Instagram
Twitter
Facebook Messenger
WeChat
WhatsApp
your own digital channels like your website or app

Through automatic message delivery, you may control all of these exchanges. This interacts with your customer service contact center’s already-existing ticket distribution features. It is compatible with CRM platforms including Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and Zendesk.

uses chatbots with AI to handle basic support questions. When necessary, live agents can intervene. Humans and bots are divided into different tasks, which boost output and improve customer happiness.

Managing your Social Media Customer Support channels

Undoubtedly, the term “Social Support” has gained popularity in the customer service industry.

Google Trends estimates that its popularity has increased by 70% in the previous five years, and given how carefully more and more companies are managing their social media, it is expected to continue to expand.

Managing your Customer Assistance across a variety of channels has never been simpler thanks to modern cloud/SaaS technology.

You can manage client inquiries on your website and on your Facebook profile simultaneously using tools like live chat software.

Utilize it to more efficiently manage your Social Media Customer Support and spend less time monitoring inquiries coming from various channels.

Your response speed is ultimately what counts.

Providing Social Media Customer Support. The average customer satisfaction rate in the e-commerce/retail sector is 83%, and the initial response time is 1:05 minutes. There is a great deal of space for development here.

Your ability to effectively communicate with customers across a variety of channels may be essential to your customer service performance. The appropriate software can help you save time, increase team communication, and create new avenues for providing excellent social media support.

Executive Summary

Customers and businesses have a ton of chances thanks to social media. One of the numerous potential ways it may assist any company or brand in growing is through customer service.

Higher turnover results from smart management and effective tactics.

Smart businesses regularly study and implement new social media trends in addition to utilizing the competitive edge that Social Media Customer Services bring. For instance, developments in technology like AI and chatbots will fundamentally alter how businesses handle support requests.

Today, Social Media Customer Support is a crucial component of any brand’s omnichannel strategy. You must be present and proactive on all pertinent levels if you want to maximize customer acquisition and retention and meet your sales, marketing, and customer service goals.

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