USING TWITTER AS A CUSTOMER SERVICE TOOL

The social world has expanded into the homes of just about every online shopper. Friends and acquaintances talk and discuss while businesses and customers converse, promoting an extremely effective opportunity for online shops that want to make the most of their presence.
Twitter has remained a strong social network, due mostly to its popularity but also because it is quick, easy, and reaches out to anyone that is discussing a similar topic. This has helped make Twitter a powerful customer service aid to businesses everywhere.

Customer preference

One of the many advantages is that customers can communicate through a channel they prefer. Rather than waiting on a phone or getting an inconvenient call-back later on, they can discuss with you openly. Because social networking has become widely popular, even finding its way onto smart phone apps, it is easy for customers to use and it makes finding your business far simpler than looking up a phone number or even looking for an email address. This easy to use customer service option means that more customers and even potential clients will be inclined to talk to you whenever they want to. They won’t be dissuaded by any complexities or worried about consuming too much of their own time.  

Twitter also allows you to gather a wide range of information about your customers. What they want, what their interests are and how they interact with the world around them. Twitter is great because it is an open network in which you can follow your own customers so that you can better serve them. This is of key importance, because when you have a client follow you, you need to follow them right back. Don’t forget that a social network relies on two-way communication.

Saves time

An excellent characteristic of customer service on Twitter is that it answers many questions by answering one question. Someone might have a question that is popular or that gets asked often (FAQ) and this is a great way to answer many customers through one discussion. And when people are asking, why not answer them all at the same time? Twitter is a great place to relay FAQ’s and even give credit to your customers for asking such important questions.

Even big businesses are putting their social networking tools to proper use. Ford Motor Company is doing astoundingly well by utilizing social media such as Twitter. This is due to the open interaction that Twitter promotes to a wide customer range. When one customer has a question or comment, everyone can benefit from the conversation.

It also gives other customers an opportunity to answer each other’s questions. You are discussing rather than simply telling. This is a great chance to develop open conversation and improve the customer service experience your clients really deserve. When you create conversation on your network, you attract the attention of more people.

An open conversation

A good business acts in a public and openly transparent way. This really helps reflect the fact that your online store is owned by an individual who has the same desires that all customers are looking for. This builds a relationship that customers can relate to. It helps to give your online presence a personality that others can familiarize themselves with.

Be responsive and engaging

Remember that Twitter is a great tool, but it is not the only tool out there. Use it in conjunction with other tools and techniques. Don’t simply rely on any single tool to perform the task of customer service. Do keep in mind that you need to keep your account updated regularly with fresh information. Simply re-tweeting or multi-sharing through other networks isn’t as effective, and can sometimes turn customers off to or leave them ignoring what you are saying if it is monotonous or a repeat from before. Fresh and relevant information is important in maintaining customer interest, and always keep them involved by asking questions. The best part of your Twitter account is the conversation that your customers start. Talk to them and they will talk to you.

Using Twitter as one of your online store’s customer service tools is simple and easy to maintain. With a large and open network of clients and potential customers ready to hear what you have to say, you can put this powerful networking tool to good use and help your online store become a success.