Social media has come of age and business houses – regardless of their type and size – are using social media for more than just marketing.
Client communications take pace effortlessly on social media and business intelligence is gathered at an enormous pace. Customers often use social media as part of their overall marketing plans.
Social media provide brands the fabulous opportunity to use these conversations to show they are listening, eager to build relationships and want to render customer service.
Experts opine that there are three proverbial P’s that must be addressed in order to have a successful social media service team that will help change the conversation around your brand from an adverse one to a positive one. The three Ps are Planning, People, and Platforms. The mantra is – Planning astutely, have the right People in place, and choose to use the right Platforms.
The three Ps need not be in the same sequence as stated above. In fact, the order in which you address each P is up to you, but each P needs to be handled rightly and effectively to get the highest return on investment.
Have an imaginatively conceived plan in place for everything, not just the simple conversations, but the hard ones as well. It is said, “Plan your work and work your plan.” Draw up a schedule to for answering the daily service concerns of your customer. Work closely with your team to understand what needs to done and when. You can be sure that your team will know something happens before you do if you have the right people in place, and they are using the right platforms.
Your social media customer service team needs to be filled with your company’s most competent employees well-trained in the art of social media communications. It does not mean each member of the team has to be always active in all social media sites—but they do have to know your products and services and management philosophy better than anyone else. You can train your team members how to use the different channels. Also teach them familiarity with your products and instill confidence in each one of them. These are essential for operating at the fast-paced speed of social media. Have a designated specialist available for the immediate responses your customers are looking for.
There are several characteristics to look for when considering the right platforms to make your team successful. Make sure you select the social media platforms where your prospects proliferate. Do not be wasting time on platforms where your clients are absent.
When evolving and putting place a social media customer service team, all three P’s are imperative for success. Plan for challenges; put the right People where they can help the most; get the right Platform to make things happen the way you want.