Over the holidays, I traveled for a couple of weeks. On my way home, I encountered inconvenience and extra charges resulting from an airline changing my itinerary.
Disappointed, I sent a politely-worded tweet at the airline. Within a few minutes, the airline had responded to me and assured me I could get a refund for the extra baggage fees.
While I eventually hope for a little more, considering the time and headache involved in this experience, I was pleased with the fast response.
Increasingly, customers turn to social media to reach out to companies. Using Twitter for customer support can be one way to help you connect quickly.
However, before you start using Twitter for customer support, though, it’s important to understand some of the basics:
1. Fast Response
You need to respond quickly. Using Twitter for customer support requires a team that can monitor what’s happening and get back to customers.
Customers expect to see rapid response when they approach a company on social media. If you want to be successful, you can’t ignore tweets for a long period of time.
2. Set Up a Dedicated Support Handle
One of the best ways of using Twitter for customer support is to use a dedicated support handle. That makes it easier for you to monitor. Create a handle just for support and make sure it’s visible on your main Twitter profile.
You still should double-check for other issues, but your main focus can be on the support handle.
3. Make it Personal
Many customers like to feel as though companies are composed of “real” people. You can add a personal touch when using Twitter for customer support.
One of the easiest ways to do this is to use initials at the end of a response tweet. That way, it appears that someone is taking an active interest in the customer. While you don’t want to be too personal, adding a bit of personality can go a long way.
4. Don’t Ask for Personal Info
Your customers should not be giving out account information or telephone numbers over Twitter. When using Twitter for customer support, make sure to protect customer privacy.
I’ve had customer support people ask me to DM my email so they can send me more information. In some cases, the company messages me a number I can call for dedicated, personalized help.
Make sure that, when performing customer support via Twitter, you keep the customer’s private information private.
5. Use Templates for Common Concerns
It’s time-consuming to answer the same questions over and over again. So, if you find that many customers have the same issues, consider creating a template.
The key to creating a good template when using Twitter for customer support is to make sure you provide good information. A phone number that won’t send someone to an endless calling tree or a URL to helpful information are good starts.
Bottom Line
Many customers turn to social media to connect with companies, especially when it comes to customer support. One way to provide what your customers need is to be present on Twitter so they can easily find you and take care of problems.
