Despite being around for less than two decades, there are now more than 44 million social media users in the UK - about 66 percent of the population. Globally, there are an estimated 3.48 billion social media users, a year on year increase of 9 percent since 2018.

With such a high rate of saturation throughout all levels of society, social media has quickly evolved from a 'nice extra' in a marketing strategy to a necessity. These platforms have become a popular means of communication for customers and, as a result, brands have to be ready to offer quality customer service through these channels.

Consider for a moment that 63 percent of customers expect companies to provide customer service through social media. Your customers are online, and they look for brands on the platforms they use and expect these brands to be responsive to them. Social media provides them with the perfect means to engage directly with the organisation throughout the buyer's journey, from long before they feel ready to make a purchase to after they buy.

Not only do customers expect this level of assistance, but they have already begun to take advantage of it. Ninety percent of social media users say they have used the platforms to communicate with brands and businesses.

Brands that want to grow and thrive have to pay close attention to the customer experience they provide on social media and not view it as just another means to broadcast or promote material to their audience. Instead, see it as an opportunity for conversation, to engage directly with customers and provide them with excellent customer service and an experience that encourages them to move through the buyer's journey.

How to build a policy of quality customer service online

When you begin from a foundation of quality online customer experiences, your strategy should focus on promoting the same values you offer through other forms of customer service. You want to create positive engagement opportunities with your prospective customers and existing customers.

Customers report that they expect those assigned to helping with customer service to be knowledgeable and able to answer questions. They do not want to be passed from representative to representative, receiving little valuable information each time. Empower your customer service representatives to provide quantitative help for customers and some freedom to problem solve as the need arises.

Providing customers with a superior social media customer service experience can go a long way to benefit your organisation. Seventy-five percent of customers who report having a positive customer service experience with an organisation say they go on to spend more.

Consider the example of Skyscanner. Skyscanner, a website that searches for flight deals and prices, had a website malfunction when a customer searched for a particular flight. The website suggested that the customer take a 47-year layover in a specific airport. When the customer brought the mistake to the attention of the social media service representative, she quickly used a great sense of humour to diffuse any frustration, promised to get the problem solved, and attracted a considerable amount of positive attention for the brand with her humorous quips. Customers continued to speak about the amusing incident long after the actual complaint, keeping the audience engaged with the organisation and interested in continuing to use the site.

As you expand your customer service values online, focus on having a proactive stance. You want to build social media engagement and help them get the most out of your products and services. Create and promote content that helps existing customers while also producing material that guides prospective customers in making their decision. Begin conversations with customers to assist them to see the value they receive from your organisation and help them improve their ROI.

As you actively engage with customers on these platforms, do not leave questions unanswered or your profiles unattended. Letting customer's questions linger creates the impression that you do not prioritise their needs and that you do not attentively monitor your customers' favourite communication channels. It also leaves open the opportunity for other people to answer the question for you, which could lead to false or damaging information spreading, or a competitor poaching your prospect.

What to do if someone complains about your business on social media

The news reports of a single customer's negative experience going viral have sent shivers down the spines of many marketing teams. Although those stories do not happen to many organisations, the impact of someone complaining on social media can still present a big problem.

Active monitoring of social media should be a PR priority. Not paying attention to what people say about your organisation on social media can lead to complaints and bad reviews spreading across platforms quickly.

Neglecting social media allows these negative impressions to run rampant as you lose control of the narrative. With no one to contradict these dissatisfied customers' perceptions of the organisation, you can quickly find your reputation damaged.

Learning to balance these challenging moments requires some finesse. Customers want to see authenticity. They do not want negative reviews to be deleted or removed from the public conversation. They want to know how you handle problems. As you go online to deal with negative language, you can feel confident that prospective customers watch closely to see how you handle complaints and issue resolution.

Think of someone complaining on social media as the equivalent of someone standing on the shop floor complaining loudly. You must handle the problem gracefully and look for ways to solve their problem that demonstrates fairness and a genuine concern for their experience.

Look at the nature of their dissatisfaction. Was something not delivered as promised and can, therefore, be refunded? Was there something in the customer experience you could rectify if they're willing to give you a chance? Is there something specific you can help them troubleshoot with the product or service they purchased? Speak with the customer publicly and let them know that you want to help them solve their problem, even if you decide to finish the conversation in private. You want other prospective customers to see that you actively work to create happy customers.

Consider Nike's example of working on troubleshooting with customers.

Nike's social media presence exemplifies the potential for digital customer service. Their customer support team regularly monitors the main Nike handles (@Nike on Twitter). If a customer has a question or concern, their specialised support team steps in and reaches out to the customer asking if they can help. This strategy keeps the problem-solving public, but also separate from the main accounts. The representatives also demonstrate a positive, helpful attitude as they deal with customers and guide them towards solutions.

The customer service of the future

This shift towards social media as a component of customer service has been part of a broader movement towards personalised service. Ninety percent of marketing leaders report that personalisation increases profitability for their organisation. Taking the time to demonstrate that you care about your customers' needs personally helps prospective and existing customers feel that you care about them on an individual level, and this level of care encourages purchases and loyalty.

Interacting with customers on social media needs to be part of creating a culture of direct communication with customers.

As social media thrives as a means of customer service, customers have even begun to prefer it over more traditional forms of assistance. More than a third of customers - 34.5 percent - say that social media is their preferred means of receiving support. Those who prefer social platforms outpace those who prefer email and more than double those who prefer telephoning.

Throughout the customer journey, customers evaluate different options to see who can best help them with their unique needs. Prioritising customer service through social media allows organisations to remain present to these prospective customers throughout the buyer's journey. You can show your prospects that you have their needs in mind by creating content that speaks to defined personas at each stage of the buyer's journey and answering the questions they have. You will help them access the critical information that will influence their decisions. You will also answer their questions or concerns and make it easy for them to see that you care about their personal needs.

Of course, the rise of social media as a form of customer service has not been without its criticisms. Social media has been, and remains, the centre of controversies, scandals and social concerns. Even so, the brands who elect to take a step back from social media know they cannot afford to let go completely.

The cosmetics brand Lush elected to delete several social media profiles, a decision that attracted attention in the marketing world. Despite this radical move, however, they still engaged with customers through hashtags and did not delete all their profiles. They also left the door open to expanding on other social platforms in the future. Social media has established its place as a convenient form of communication for customers, and brands cannot overlook its potential.

How to thrive with social media and customer service

Know how to prioritise your resources

The first step towards thriving with social media and customer service lies in realising that you must prioritise your resources. If you don't have the resources to pour into it, you cannot simultaneously live on every social platform possible, actively monitor each one and engage well with each audience. Instead, you want to focus your energy on the platforms that will have the most significant impact for you. Think about your target audience, the platforms they like, and the platforms that tie in best with your organisation.

Harness the power of technology

Technology has made it possible for organisations to better monitor their social media accounts and other online interactions with customers. Although regularly checking the various social platforms directly also remains an option, it can be burdensome for many businesses. It also does not provide insight into what people say about your organisation or industry off of your profile page.

Fortunately, there are many options for technology that can help brands improve their social listening, monitor platforms, and stay attentive to the wider social conversation. Set up Google Alerts as well as notifications on a platform like Hootsuite for terms related to your business name, as well as other important key vocabulary around your organisation and industry. This will help you quickly identify issues that potentially need your attention.

Monitoring social media conversations around the clock can be a challenge for many companies. Employees go home at night, call in sick, or attend conferences. Chatbots, however, can help you fill in gaps in your resources. Bots can triage some basic questions or problems, pointing customers in the direction of FAQs or further resources on your website. They can also let customers know when a human helper will return to the office and when they can expect answers to their questions. Even this simple response can help keep customers engaged with the organisation and confident that you care about them.

The chatbots can also help collect information from the customer that will help solve their problems, such as item numbers or purchase dates, which will then help human customer service professionals jump right in and solve the problem even faster.

Social media has quickly become integral to communications across the globe. Customers view the platforms as a means of engaging directly with the brands that interest them, both before and after purchasing items. Customers who use these platforms well recognise that customers want to know that brands care about their needs personally. When taken as a part of an overall brand initiative to provide personalised care throughout the buyer's journey, businesses have the potential to use social media as an outstanding means of communication and engagement.

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