We’re in the age of Tech, where everyone is online one way or another. Whether it’s Twitter and Facebook or Instagram and Pinterest, information, reviews and business are now moving faster than ever, and they’re not just staying in the bounds of one country anymore. Everything is now global. But what does this mean for companies that want to reach out to customers and clients on the World Wide Web? Exposure? Customer service? New business? Or all of the above and then some?
Believe it or not, there are companies out there whom are a lot less tech-savvy than most confused 40 year olds with a recent smart phone upgrade. Shivers run down the corporate spines of Directors, Owners and Partners when they think about social media. But with approximately 91% of all adults using social media regularly, and 77% of those people being between the ages of 30 and 49 (your potential customers or clients), not being around digitally could really damage the growth of your business.
Twitter is one of the biggest, fastest moving and influential social media sites that is currently around, with an average of 350,000 Tweets being sent every minute from their 310 million monthly active users (which is almost the same as the entire population of the U.S.A). Because it’s so fast paced, Twitter isn’t somewhere you can randomly throw a post out every once and a while. Instead, you need to be active, posting interesting and relevant content and engaging with other people and companies. Everyone on Twitter is a potential customer or client based on your business, and this is why companies such as Ocado, Next and Royal Mail (to name a few) harness the fantastic customer service that you never thought you’d be able to give and receive online.
When it comes down to customer service, it doesn’t have to be bland and boring. People buy people, not faceless organisations, so being personable is something that, no matter what industry you’re in, is priceless. I’m sure we all remember David Willis getting locked inside Waterstones in London back in 2014. If you don’t, here’s the fantastic Tweet exchange between the two:
But sometimes it’s not always sunshine and roses, and there are some companies and employees that get things wrong, especially when the employee forgets which Twitter account they’re currently using (and the public don’t always see the funny side, unlike the below Tweet from 2011):
Social media is great for every type of business, but keeping company and personal accounts separate is a must. Both the general public and companies look at others online and word of mouth is now more digital than ever, with 80% of Twitter users mentioning a brand in a Tweet. Not only that, but 77% of Twitter users feel more positive about a brand when their Tweet has been replied to. Retail chains can help with order enquiries and feedback. Utility companies can be told about problems as soon as they arise. Banks can offer advice to customers and help with queries. Mechanics can book in customers and help with remote diagnostics. And it’s almost instantaneous.
Embracing social media means your customers no longer have to wait in a call queue or wait days for letters to go back and forth. They can get piece of mind quickly and painlessly, and with most people being too busy to be on hold, social media sites, especially Twitter, can really help maintain and boost your customer base, helping you to see an average of 19% lift in customer satisfaction – something you definitely don’t want to be missing out on.
