Gartner Inc., a technology research firm, predicts that 90 percent of companies will conduct customer service via social media by 2020. In today’s current social media saturated landscape, this prediction seems highly plausible.
Today’s customers seek out reviews online and share feedback to their social networks when they like, or to the contrary, dislike a product, service or item. And, savvy marketers and large-scale companies are already utilizing social media-based customer service to reach their customers.
Here’s why adopting a similar business model is important and why you should consider using it, too.
Why Social Media?
First thing’s first: Social media is accessible to anyone who has an Internet connection and decides to create a personal account. A 2017 report conducted by Hootsuite and We Are Social reveals that 50 percent of the world’s population now uses the Internet. More than half also use a smartphone to access online information. And, the report shows that more than 1 in 5 of the world’s population has shopped online during the last 30 days.
So, what is this information telling or perhaps reinforcing in us? Bottom line: The Internet is more accessible than ever before, which means that social media is, too. And when consumers look to make a purchase, have an inquiry about a product or service, or want to learn more about an organization, they often open their favorite app or log in to Facebook to find an answer to their burning question. Is your company there to receive their message?
Marketing and Social Media
You’re likely already marketing to relevant social media channels with advertisements or sponsored posts aimed to inspire targeted consumers and direct them to your website. But today’s agile marketer needs to do more than sell, sell, sell. Jason De Mers, CEO and founder of AudienceBloom, writing for Forbes states that managing customer service via social media gives the consumer a more personal brand experience.
Adopting this type of system also provides for more transparent conversations between consumers and an organization or company. But learning how to first listen and then effectively respond to consumer complaints, inquiries and other forms of feedback is key. It’s also a learned skill that many go-getter marketers lack. But there’s a simple solution to all of this: partner up.
A Simple Solution
Leo Chaddock, CEO of Sentiment, says “Social is not something that can be siloed in one department or another. Both departments need to work together.” Organizations that have bridged the gap between their social media marketing and customer service teams often choose solutions that offer omni-channel capabilities. Aspect.com, for example, combines traditional call center capabilities along with voicemail, email, Web chat, instant messaging, social media and video chat.
Implementing a solution like this should be the first step a marketer should take to more effectively reach customers; after all, many of today’s consumers prefer communicating via online or text. Doing so can give an organization a competitive advantage in the marketplace or industry, all while increasing customer retention and satisfaction, while keeping down overall costs.
The world of marketing and customer service is constantly evolving and changing. Today we have social media; tomorrow it could be virtual reality. As the technology landscape continues to progress, marketers from all industries will need to do so, too.
