Online brands must be responsive in the wake of customer complaints and service issues. The online customer is proactive and aware of various research channels. And therefore organizations must maintain a commitment to effective service to protect their brand name and ensure search and social campaigns remain on track for long-term returns. In this blog, we’ll review five tips for proactive online customer service.
1. Respond Quickly to Social Media Complaints
It takes mere hours for a brand complaint to become trending news across social media. This means companies must respond in less than hour to protect their brand reputation. Customers that don’t receive a response may leave a bad review or continue to post their complaints online, leading to greater potential visibility for the issue and for the negative branding.
2. Highlight Noteworthy Customers Online
Whether it’s presenting their 10,000th Twitter follower with a prize or recognizing the commitment of a Facebook Group organizer, companies can build large amounts of good will by highlighting customers.
3. Cover All Time Zones with Responsive Service
It’s no good having a strong service team in New York when the majority of the brand’s customers are in San Francisco. Companies must have an effective team covering each North American time-zone to help protect against a negative branding campaign rising quickly during the early hours on the east or west coast.
4. Remove Complaints from the Online Sphere Quickly
Companies should try to take customer complaints offline as quickly as possible. Not only will this help the customer realize that their issues are being heard and responded to, but it’ll also limit negative online exposure for the brand.
5. Create Responsive Content
Customers don’t necessarily want to hear about the brand’s latest offer. They want to know how the brand can help them with their requirements. Whether it’s an IT company presenting a list of items to check before sending their computer for repair or a manufacturer outlining the latest innovations in their field, compelling content is the best way to capture both the imagination and the attention of customers online.
Customer service requires the building of a relationship between the brand and its online audience. Brands can hone their online image by working with customers and crafting campaigns that resolve problems while driving brand recognition forward.
