Maintain Healthy Relationships With Customers Through Social Media

Social Media has become not just a prominent platform for marketing and advertising but also an accessible tool for forming and improving customer relationships.

Becoming a major part of online activity, customers are jumping on the web and demanding communication with brands, with an expectation of quick and suitable responses. In fact, JD Power conducted a survey and found that 67 percent of respondents admitted to having contacted a company for support via social media.

As such, it’s important for brands to have an understanding of how to manage this influx to maintain friendly relations with their consumers. Check out some of these quick tips for maintaining successful relationships with your customers via social media, and they make a good point on working this relationships.

Be Where your Customers Are

In order to build good relationships with customers, you’ve got to know who they are, what they like and what social media platforms they use. Depending on their demographic and interests, you may find more activity on one social media platform than another, .

If your brand is targeted toward teens, you may find that there are a lot more consumers on Instagram, while a young professional demographic may see more activity on LinkedIn.

If you’re unsure which platform you should target in particular, you can conduct a simple one-question survey in store or online to figure out what platform is popular.

Once you know the best platform, this information can be used when allocating time and money. This information is also a great indicator of where to monitor customer activity and keep up with trends. Try using tools like Mention to see posts that mention your brand online.

Really Listen To What Your Customers Are Saying

Social media bridges the gap between brands and customers and creates an expectation for open conversation, meaning brands have a responsibility to pay attention when online. Really listen to what your customers have to say and come up with a direct and helpful response.

A great way to keep on top of appropriate responses while remaining consistent is to filter through customer questions online and collect the most frequently asked ones. By collating this list, you can organize pre-planned responses, train staff accordingly and administer self-service options. Services like Aspect Zipwire, which offers seamless integration between social media, voice and chat, can also help direct customers to other company services to assist with their concerns.

Timing Is Key

Nowadays, it takes 5 seconds to connect to Wi-Fi, 10 seconds to login to Facebook and another 30 to write a status and post it. Customers log on to social media for quick and accessible communication and it’s important for brands to keep this in mind when talking online.

In a survey they conducted, The Social Habit found that 32 percent of social media users who contact a brand expect a response within 30 minutes, while 42 percent expect a response within 60 minutes. Therefore, monitoring platforms and responding to questions and concerns on social media in a timely manner is essential to maintaining healthy relationships and avoiding customer frustration. Social media’s accessibility, reach and instantaneous connection makes it an everyday activity for many consumers.

Therefore, it is critical; for brands to get involved. Make sure you approach your social media activity in the right way with these tips to help foster friendly and open relationships with customers online.