The document discusses lessons and best practices for using social media for customer support. It provides examples of how listening to customers on social media helped one company resolve over 50,000 issues and quiet negative conversations. The key lessons are to listen on all social channels, keep interactions real and authentic, and recognize that unhappy customers can influence many others through their social networks. An integrated social media customer support strategy can improve the customer experience and increase retention while decreasing support costs.
20 Social Customer Service Stats to Share With Your BossSparkcentral
Need some validation on why social customer service should become part of your overall customer service strategy? Here are 20 stats you can share with your boss to kickstart a social customer service program today!
Social Media for Customer Service Report 2013Liam Dowd
A 15-page intelligence report that delves into the area of social media for customer service. It contains analysis, insight and case studies including:
• Are you listening?
• Social CRM
• Making connections
• Future social care
• Practical tips
Social CRM: what it is and how you can use it to grow customer valueOgilvy Consulting
Social is increasingly powerful in your customer’s lives, but rarely well integrated with or used as a CRM programme. This presentation covers the key four pillars of Social CRM, examples of it being successfully used in practice and what you can do to drive purchasing, loyalty and advocacy using Social CRM.
Not very long ago, social media was a diversion that most business leaders considered a time-waster. But today it's obvious that word-of-mouth has a momentous impact on brands and that social media can be a goldmine of customer insight.
This paper provides perspective on the growth of social interactions in business, Voice of Customer pitfalls, and the role of sentiment analysis to mine customer insight.
You'll learn:
How to capitalize on unstructured and unsolicited feedback
To translate insight into action by integrating social channels into your existing processes
The top business applications for social media
The age of Social Customer is here. Are you ready to engage?
20 Social Customer Service Stats to Share With Your BossSparkcentral
Need some validation on why social customer service should become part of your overall customer service strategy? Here are 20 stats you can share with your boss to kickstart a social customer service program today!
Social Media for Customer Service Report 2013Liam Dowd
A 15-page intelligence report that delves into the area of social media for customer service. It contains analysis, insight and case studies including:
• Are you listening?
• Social CRM
• Making connections
• Future social care
• Practical tips
Social CRM: what it is and how you can use it to grow customer valueOgilvy Consulting
Social is increasingly powerful in your customer’s lives, but rarely well integrated with or used as a CRM programme. This presentation covers the key four pillars of Social CRM, examples of it being successfully used in practice and what you can do to drive purchasing, loyalty and advocacy using Social CRM.
Not very long ago, social media was a diversion that most business leaders considered a time-waster. But today it's obvious that word-of-mouth has a momentous impact on brands and that social media can be a goldmine of customer insight.
This paper provides perspective on the growth of social interactions in business, Voice of Customer pitfalls, and the role of sentiment analysis to mine customer insight.
You'll learn:
How to capitalize on unstructured and unsolicited feedback
To translate insight into action by integrating social channels into your existing processes
The top business applications for social media
The age of Social Customer is here. Are you ready to engage?
A brief introduction to the affiliate marketing mastermind This pdf contains information on how affiliate marketing works, understanding your chosen programme, different affiliate programmes, and other topics.
affiliate methods network, affiliate programme design, and various commissions
structures, product promotion, and do's and don'ts
Social Customer Service: The Pivotal Driver of the Social EnterpriseLiveops
Customer Service is now driving the voice of the customer (VOC) cross-functional collaboration and that integration and use of VOC data makes all departments more effective and efficient.
What customers really think - 30 stats on customer expectations and attitudes...Andy Hanselman
A compilation of over 30 statistics and trends highlighting customers expectaions and attitudes to customer service and some practical ideas on how to deal with them.
As healthcare becomes more of a commodity over time, healthcare consumers will engage in shopping behavior based on price and quality. They will be demanding a better experience.
Sales meeting reviewing some new enhancements to Bright MLS which include how CDOM/DOM are accounted for in the system, Remine which deals with artificial intelligence, and the use of Homesnap PRO to manage your listings. The Videolicious App is available to all BHHS agents and is FREE. Learn how to get up and recording today. The BHHS Network has a new branding theme - 'Consumer Strong' which was highlighted in this month's 'Real Estate Magazine.' And finally, how would you rate your knowledge of Customer Service and what consumer's want. Take the quiz.
A brief introduction to the affiliate marketing mastermind This pdf contains information on how affiliate marketing works, understanding your chosen programme, different affiliate programmes, and other topics.
affiliate methods network, affiliate programme design, and various commissions
structures, product promotion, and do's and don'ts
Social Customer Service: The Pivotal Driver of the Social EnterpriseLiveops
Customer Service is now driving the voice of the customer (VOC) cross-functional collaboration and that integration and use of VOC data makes all departments more effective and efficient.
What customers really think - 30 stats on customer expectations and attitudes...Andy Hanselman
A compilation of over 30 statistics and trends highlighting customers expectaions and attitudes to customer service and some practical ideas on how to deal with them.
As healthcare becomes more of a commodity over time, healthcare consumers will engage in shopping behavior based on price and quality. They will be demanding a better experience.
Sales meeting reviewing some new enhancements to Bright MLS which include how CDOM/DOM are accounted for in the system, Remine which deals with artificial intelligence, and the use of Homesnap PRO to manage your listings. The Videolicious App is available to all BHHS agents and is FREE. Learn how to get up and recording today. The BHHS Network has a new branding theme - 'Consumer Strong' which was highlighted in this month's 'Real Estate Magazine.' And finally, how would you rate your knowledge of Customer Service and what consumer's want. Take the quiz.
Shinrinyoku--A Self-Guided Awareness Walk in the ForestLaurieanHealing
Although this set of "invitations" were created for a specific group of people in a specific place, they could be used by anyone as a guide for a short awareness walk in nature.
How to Use Online Intelligence As Part of a Total Media StrategySocial Strategy1
"How To Use Online Intelligence As Part of a Total Media Strategy ”
The webinar explores the importance and growing influence of not only social media, but total media –including traditional publications, virtual communities, multimedia, blogs, message boards, and opinion sites–and how organizations can leverage total media intelligence to inform and track marketing programs including product development, advertising, and competitive analysis.
Sponsored by Social Strategy1 and Write2Market
Social media is an effective channel for law firms during client discovery and procurement.
Download the full guidebook: http://bit.ly/1nniOHC
A company blog, Twitter, and LinkedIn to share your industry expertise and relevant news to target business executives will draw web traffic, increase SEO and build awareness of your capabilities.
To engage decision makers, law firm marketers need to plan for social to become a peer-to-peer discussion. Sharing industry expertise and relevant news will draw more attention and engagement than an immediate pitch.
We organized this guide we share ways you can drive decision makers to take action and engage your firm.
The 15 slides include step buy step tools for Social Media Listening, Content Strategy, Distribution Funnels and Social Media Management.
Social Strategy1
We help law firms grow with our proprietary social listening technology, content marketing and managed services.
Using our proprietary technology, Social Strategy1 scrapes the entire web to collect, categorize, and analyze verbatim, online comments, conversations, and themes and measure their impact on consumer, constituent or target audience opinions.
Everyday, more customers are connecting with companies using social media. The best way to meet their needs is by utilizing social customer service. This presentation covers how companies are able to better interact and retain customers through the use of social media channels.
The aim behind this presentation is to outline the general aspects of digital marketing. I tried to make it an simple as i could ,so i hope you are gonna enjoy it :)
The way customers engage with companies is shifting from telephones and email to social and mobile applications.
A social media strategy has now become a survival tool for almost all corporates to understand consumer preferences and perceptions towards their products, services and care
Social Media has changed the way we all serve and support our customers
Joe Cothrel, Vice President and Chief Community Officer at Lithium, discussed “social support” and its impact on today’s organizations during his presentation at the 2015 Customer Care Leadership Forum in Toronto on March 25. In his presentation, Cothrel pointed out that social support occurs both via social media and through an organization’s website.
S#@!? Our Customers Say and Why It's Important to Use Social Media to Track I...ProductCamp SoCal
Do you really know what your customers have to say about your products? Do you WANT to know what they have to say? We'll discuss what real customers are actually saying and the why and how behind using Social Media to manage your public image.
Managing Customer Care with Social Media@liveconx.com
By integrating social media into every aspect of the customer experience, you can enhance relationships with your current customers and significantly expand your client base.
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http://stratuscontactsolutions.com/what-is-social-media-customer-service/
Hilarie Koplow-McAdams, President Commercial SMB Unit for Salesforce, and Michael Lazerow, CMO of Marketing Cloud for Salesforce, made this presentation at the McKinsey Chief Marketing & Sales Officer Forum event in 2012.
Social media marketing presentation at #fusionmex by Olivier Blanchard - @the...i-SCOOP
Keynote covering intelligent use, planning and integration of social media marketing in the enteprise, given by Olivier Blanchard (@thebrandbuilder) at Fusion Marketing Experience (#fusionmex) Brussels on March 23, 2011.
Implicitly or explicitly all competing businesses employ a strategy to select a mix
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RMD24 | Retail media: hoe zet je dit in als je geen AH of Unilever bent? Heid...BBPMedia1
Grote partijen zijn al een tijdje onderweg met retail media. Ondertussen worden in dit domein ook de kansen zichtbaar voor andere spelers in de markt. Maar met die kansen ontstaan ook vragen: Zelf retail media worden of erop adverteren? In welke fase van de funnel past het en hoe integreer je het in een mediaplan? Wat is nu precies het verschil met marketplaces en Programmatic ads? In dit half uur beslechten we de dilemma's en krijg je antwoorden op wanneer het voor jou tijd is om de volgende stap te zetten.
Digital Transformation and IT Strategy Toolkit and TemplatesAurelien Domont, MBA
This Digital Transformation and IT Strategy Toolkit was created by ex-McKinsey, Deloitte and BCG Management Consultants, after more than 5,000 hours of work. It is considered the world's best & most comprehensive Digital Transformation and IT Strategy Toolkit. It includes all the Frameworks, Best Practices & Templates required to successfully undertake the Digital Transformation of your organization and define a robust IT Strategy.
Editable Toolkit to help you reuse our content: 700 Powerpoint slides | 35 Excel sheets | 84 minutes of Video training
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Cracking the Workplace Discipline Code Main.pptxWorkforce Group
Cultivating and maintaining discipline within teams is a critical differentiator for successful organisations.
Forward-thinking leaders and business managers understand the impact that discipline has on organisational success. A disciplined workforce operates with clarity, focus, and a shared understanding of expectations, ultimately driving better results, optimising productivity, and facilitating seamless collaboration.
Although discipline is not a one-size-fits-all approach, it can help create a work environment that encourages personal growth and accountability rather than solely relying on punitive measures.
In this deck, you will learn the significance of workplace discipline for organisational success. You’ll also learn
• Four (4) workplace discipline methods you should consider
• The best and most practical approach to implementing workplace discipline.
• Three (3) key tips to maintain a disciplined workplace.
What is the TDS Return Filing Due Date for FY 2024-25.pdfseoforlegalpillers
It is crucial for the taxpayers to understand about the TDS Return Filing Due Date, so that they can fulfill your TDS obligations efficiently. Taxpayers can avoid penalties by sticking to the deadlines and by accurate filing of TDS. Timely filing of TDS will make sure about the availability of tax credits. You can also seek the professional guidance of experts like Legal Pillers for timely filing of the TDS Return.
LA HUG - Video Testimonials with Chynna Morgan - June 2024Lital Barkan
Have you ever heard that user-generated content or video testimonials can take your brand to the next level? We will explore how you can effectively use video testimonials to leverage and boost your sales, content strategy, and increase your CRM data.🤯
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3.0 Project 2_ Developing My Brand Identity Kit.pptxtanyjahb
A personal brand exploration presentation summarizes an individual's unique qualities and goals, covering strengths, values, passions, and target audience. It helps individuals understand what makes them stand out, their desired image, and how they aim to achieve it.
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Putting the SPARK into Virtual Training.pptxCynthia Clay
This 60-minute webinar, sponsored by Adobe, was delivered for the Training Mag Network. It explored the five elements of SPARK: Storytelling, Purpose, Action, Relationships, and Kudos. Knowing how to tell a well-structured story is key to building long-term memory. Stating a clear purpose that doesn't take away from the discovery learning process is critical. Ensuring that people move from theory to practical application is imperative. Creating strong social learning is the key to commitment and engagement. Validating and affirming participants' comments is the way to create a positive learning environment.
RMD24 | Debunking the non-endemic revenue myth Marvin Vacquier Droop | First ...BBPMedia1
Marvin neemt je in deze presentatie mee in de voordelen van non-endemic advertising op retail media netwerken. Hij brengt ook de uitdagingen in beeld die de markt op dit moment heeft op het gebied van retail media voor niet-leveranciers.
Retail media wordt gezien als het nieuwe advertising-medium en ook mediabureaus richten massaal retail media-afdelingen op. Merken die niet in de betreffende winkel liggen staan ook nog niet in de rij om op de retail media netwerken te adverteren. Marvin belicht de uitdagingen die er zijn om echt aansluiting te vinden op die markt van non-endemic advertising.
Memorandum Of Association Constitution of Company.pptseri bangash
www.seribangash.com
A Memorandum of Association (MOA) is a legal document that outlines the fundamental principles and objectives upon which a company operates. It serves as the company's charter or constitution and defines the scope of its activities. Here's a detailed note on the MOA:
Contents of Memorandum of Association:
Name Clause: This clause states the name of the company, which should end with words like "Limited" or "Ltd." for a public limited company and "Private Limited" or "Pvt. Ltd." for a private limited company.
https://seribangash.com/article-of-association-is-legal-doc-of-company/
Registered Office Clause: It specifies the location where the company's registered office is situated. This office is where all official communications and notices are sent.
Objective Clause: This clause delineates the main objectives for which the company is formed. It's important to define these objectives clearly, as the company cannot undertake activities beyond those mentioned in this clause.
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Liability Clause: It outlines the extent of liability of the company's members. In the case of companies limited by shares, the liability of members is limited to the amount unpaid on their shares. For companies limited by guarantee, members' liability is limited to the amount they undertake to contribute if the company is wound up.
https://seribangash.com/promotors-is-person-conceived-formation-company/
Capital Clause: This clause specifies the authorized capital of the company, i.e., the maximum amount of share capital the company is authorized to issue. It also mentions the division of this capital into shares and their respective nominal value.
Association Clause: It simply states that the subscribers wish to form a company and agree to become members of it, in accordance with the terms of the MOA.
Importance of Memorandum of Association:
Legal Requirement: The MOA is a legal requirement for the formation of a company. It must be filed with the Registrar of Companies during the incorporation process.
Constitutional Document: It serves as the company's constitutional document, defining its scope, powers, and limitations.
Protection of Members: It protects the interests of the company's members by clearly defining the objectives and limiting their liability.
External Communication: It provides clarity to external parties, such as investors, creditors, and regulatory authorities, regarding the company's objectives and powers.
https://seribangash.com/difference-public-and-private-company-law/
Binding Authority: The company and its members are bound by the provisions of the MOA. Any action taken beyond its scope may be considered ultra vires (beyond the powers) of the company and therefore void.
Amendment of MOA:
While the MOA lays down the company's fundamental principles, it is not entirely immutable. It can be amended, but only under specific circumstances and in compliance with legal procedures. Amendments typically require shareholder
Memorandum Of Association Constitution of Company.ppt
Customer Support Goes Social Workshop
1. Customer Support Goes Social 3 Important Business Lessons & Pitfalls to Avoid #OASocial Mike Lewis, Chairman and CEO, ILD Corp. and Social Strategy1 Steve Ennen, President and Chief Intelligence Officer of Social Strategy1
2. Today’s Topics Real World Experiences 3 Important Lessons Marketing and Customer Service The Case for Social Customer Service Key Take-Aways 2
3. Today’s Speakers Michael F. “Mike” Lewis Co-founder OfficeArrow.com and Social Strategy1 Chairman and CEO of ILD Corp. Author of “Social Media Leadership” Steve Ennen President & CIO, Social Strategy1 Founding Managing Director of the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative & Wharton Lab for Innovation 3
4. Today’s Deal of the Day I would definitely recommend this book to all business professionals. In fact, I am about to have the other partners in my business read this as well.By hardymeagan Easy to Understand and Informative Book For Business People Wanting to Learn How to Apply Social Media to Their Biz By Matthew C. Fischer There is no `geek-speak' or computer language. This is a well written introductory book that puts the social media in the spotlight for each blogger or business. By S. Williams 4
5.
6. ILD Experience – Background and Challenge Background ILD division is a third party payment processor for phone billed transactions between merchants and consumers Merchant charges display on the ILD portion of the consumer phone bill Challenge Targeted by consumers and bloggers Negative dialogue toward brand and customer service issues gained momentum Challenge was to help ILD join the conversation to quiet the negative and amplify paths to resolution online. 6
7. ILD Experience - Action Monitoring program to track all online outlets Weekly monitoring reports: one related to brand issues and one specific to merchant mentions Rapid response to brand issues; correct misinformation and openly and honestly address the negative Customer Service Hotline, Escalated Email Address and employ Customer Advocate Team to quickly resolve customer service issues Call center recording gave option to visit website ILD Self Help - give control directly to consumers to learn more about a charge, cancel service and even credit their account 7
8. ILD Experience - Impact Visits to self help site increased by 251% Percentage of visits resulting in emails and calls are down by >20% Resolved more than 50,000 consumer issues online and emerged as a leader in proactive customer service in the industry 8
9.
10. Within four days of the video’s posting, United Airlines’ stock price fell 10 percent, costing stockholders about $180 million in value9
12. Lesson #1 Listen Use all channels to listen Any comment posted on Twitter, a blog, or a forum can land on WSJ, and vice versa It’s vital to listen to all channels because you never know where a golden bit of information will appear There is no customer service strategy without listening Listening never stops 11
13. Lesson #2: Keep It Real A comprehensive and authentic online approach to customer service can: Clear up misunderstandings Simplify issue resolution Send signals that we care about our customers 12
14. Keeping It Real – Skillful Crisis Management Reputation can easily be damaged by just forgetting the basics of customer service “No comment” no more How you handle a bad situation can make or break your company’s future Respond quickly Be authentic Listen to the conversations Train your staff to lead with the company’s values Plan for what to do when bad press hits the fan 13
15. Keeping It Real – What NOT to Do Do NOT engage in anonymous postings about your own company’s stock and that of a competitor that you’re trying to acquire Reputation tarnished, forced to issue a public apology, and endured investigation by both the SEC and an internal committee within Whole Foods Do NOT launch deceptive marketing campaigns Wal-marting Across America blog written by two regular folks who were taking an RV trip across the US and stopping at Walmarts to visit with customers and employees, but was ad agency contrivance, fans felt betrayed and the Walmart brand took the hit Successful companies rely on social media as an integral part of their customer support strategy and transparency is key to that strategy. 14
16. Value of Keeping It Real Successfully integrates social media into customer service and recognizes the value of keeping it real with customers Zappos social media team 342-person, round-the-clock customer loyalty team answers 5,000 calls a day, 1,200 emails a week, and monitors Twitter and other social networking sites for mentions of Zappos Use data to proactively reach out to potential shoppers Zappos does NOT track call times or require operators to read from scripts Empowers staff to act and be helpful, no matter where they are on the organizational chart “We’re very transparent. One of our core values is being open and honest. It ends up creating more trust with our customers, employees, and partners. It’s the opposite of what most businesses do. Most try to be secret with their secret strategies.” - Tony Hsieh, CEO, Zappos.com 15
17. Lesson #3: The Customer Has Friends “Conventional marketing wisdom long held that a dissatisfied customer tells ten people. But…in the new age of social media, he or she has the tools to tell ten million.” - Paul Gillin, Author, “The New Influencers” Photo Credit: John Lund 16
18. Lesson # 3: The Customer Has Friends Lots to gain by listening to customers Referral still the best way to grow the business 17
19. Marketing & Customer Service: Another Line Blurring Customer support is typically viewed as a cost center, however there is a strong relationship between service and brand perception Companies not engaged today have 2 options Wait for a social media-driven PR disaster resulting from poor customer service takes a real bite out of brand image and earnings Immediately integrate social media interactions into existing customer service, contact centers, and help desks, uncovering real cost savings while burnishing the brand 18
20. Business Benefits of Social Business Adoption Nearly 5,000 consumers prefer better customer experiences even over lower prices 42% more communication with customers 31% increase in customer retention 34% higher brand awareness 28% decrease in support call volume 34% more feedback and ideas from customers 27% increase in new customer sales Sources: Jive Software and Forrester 19
21. Key Take-Aways Customer support is the best place to build your business case for embarking on a social media initiative Cost consideration: Face-to-face interactions and live support calls VS. Virtual army of unpaid, but willing, customer support volunteers Actively listen Traditional customer support should be augmented by social media tools to reduce costs and expand larger marketing efforts 20
22. Key Take-Aways Negative information has an extraordinarily long shelf life - extend customer service into real time where your customers are talking Companies embracing a proactive approach to social customer service will be the biggest winners – must be part of the corporate culture “There’s a strong correlation between trust and profit.” Commit across your organization to provide excellent customer service and to use social media as a major part of your customer service practices The customer, remember, is always right – and he/she may have ten million friends! 21
23. How to Be Successful Using Social Media Measure to determine proof of performance and be agile with your strategy Align metrics with strategic objectives Include reactive customer service and proactive marketing Courtesy of Social Strategy1 22
24. Contact Info Mike Lewis mike.lewis@ildmail.com @michael_f_lewis 904-273-2440 Steve Ennen steve@socialstrategy1.com @EnnenSS1 646-334-5893 @sstrategy1 @officearrow 23
Real World Experiences and one of our speakers will provide some insight into his own experiences at one of his companiesHow to Keep It Real Online3 Important Lessons in Social Support and Pitfalls to Avoid in Online EngagementHere we’ll explore best practices in listening to the customer, how to keep it real, and lesson # 3 – always remember the customer has friendsNext we’ll look at the Blurring Line Between Marketing and Customer ServiceHow you can Make the Case for Social Customer ServiceImportant Key TakeAways from today’s workshop
Michael F. “Mike” Lewis Co-founder OfficeArrow.com and Social Strategy1, Chairman and CEO of ILD Corp. and Author of “Social Media Leadership”Innovator and serial entrepreneur with more than 25-years of experience in forming, financing and profitably managing successful companies. Since 2007, he has channeled his focus on social media and social commerce by co-founding both Social Strategy1 and OfficeArrow.com, while over the last 15 years serving as Chairman and CEO of ILD Corp. He is an active alumni of The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania and recipient of numerous CEO and leadership awards.Steve EnnenPresident & Chief Intelligence Officer, Social Strategy1Educator, publisher, and executive, Steve formerly worked with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, where he was Founding Managing Director of the Wharton Interactive Media Initiative (WIMI) and Wharton Lab for Innovation in Publishing; recognized as the authoritative thought leaders for issues related to interactive and digital media and their impact on broader business matters. Steve developed the curriculum in emerging media and interactive media strategies for both MBA program and Executive Education courses. A former Editorial Director who launched numerous award-winning digital media products, Steve is adept at discussing the transformation of the total media ecosystem and the critical use of social intelligence in business.
Consider the value of United Airlines social media crisis. Airline industry is very vulnerable to this. In 2009, when United Airlines damaged musician Dave Carroll’s guitar and the usual customer support options failed him, Dave fought back by posting his original song “United Breaks Guitars” on YouTube. While the company still failed to respond, attention grew. After 3.6 million views, the airline donated $3,000 to the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, but the damage was done. Within four days of the video’s posting, United Airlines’ stock price fell 10 percent, costing stockholders about $180 million in value. (Dave’s performance also made Time Magazine’s Top 10 Viral Videos of 2009. ) Today, this video has over 10 million views.There are plenty of other examples of companies that have damaged their reputations and revenues by failing to appreciate the influence of social media channels. But there are also some examples of those who misused that influence. The new social networks place a high premium on authenticity. And they don’t like being manipulated.
Providing poor customer service has never been a good idea. Before the social media explosion, however, it was still possible for companies to take a calculated gamble with a few customer complaints, a little bad press, even small product defects. Many companies survived, even thrived, while ignoring customer support issues or handling them on the QT. That won’t be happening anymore. Social media is completely revolutionizing the customer support process, putting literally millions of unpaid reps on a 24/7 hotline that can work for you or against you. In the future you just won’t get to have any “small” problems. Honesty can be a very profitable policy….and the opposite is also true.
Skillful Crisis ManagementReputation is fragile. It is very easy for it to be damaged by just forgetting the basics of customer service.Gone are the days when you can easily bury a story or get by with a simple “no comment” response. And thanks to social media’s viral nature, how your firm handles a bad situation can make or break its future. You now must respond to PR crises quickly, with authenticity and aplomb. To do this, you must listen to the conversations happening in social media as they happen. You must train your staff to lead with the company’s values when the going gets rough. And you must have a plan for what to do when the news hits the fan. It’s not easy, but it’s possible. Communities are watching It’s not just individuals, though, who need to operate as if mom were watching. Social media communities are proving remarkably good at discovering, and punishing, companies who lie, cheat, or exaggerate needlessly.
In 2007 the CEO of Whole Foods, John Mackey, was found to have engaged in anonymous posting about his own company’s stock and that of a competitor that Whole Foods was trying to acquire. He frequently disparaged the competitor’s stock in an apparent attempt to weaken the value and improve Whole Foods’s bargaining position for the acquisition. The respected executive had his reputation tarnished, was forced to issue a public apology, and endured investigation by both the SEC and an internal committee within his own company. Ultimately, no charges were filed, but this embarrassing episode overshadowed Whole Foods news for a year. Walmart suffered similar embarrassment in the fall of 2006. The blog Wal-marting Across America was supposedly being written by two regular folks who were taking an RV trip across the United States and stopping at Walmarts to visit with customers and employees. When Jim and Laura Rivers’s RV trip turned out to be an ad agency contrivance, fans felt betrayed and the Walmart brand took the hit. There’s plenty of pressure on companies these days to play it straight with consumers and partners, but many of them are discovering that the new premium on authenticity doesn’t have to be a burden. Doing business as though your mom were watching may just turn out to be a better way of doing business. Those companies who are standouts in customer service are also perennial growth stories. It’s no coincidence that most of these rely heavily on social media as an integral part of their customer support strategy or that transparency is key to that strategy.
Zappos is conspicuous both for the extent to which it integrates social media into customer service and for the value it places on keeping it real with customers. Zappos has a blog team, even a blog bus. It has more than four hundred thousand followers on Twitter, which it employs in its call center operation. A 342-person, round-the-clock customer loyalty team answers 5,000 calls a day, 1,200 emails a week, and monitors Twitter and other social networking sites for mentions of Zappos, which they use to proactively reach out to potential shoppers. Zappos doesn’t track call times or require operators to read from scripts. When asked in an Adweek interview why the Zappos approach has resonated so well, CEO Tony Hsieh had this to say:I think part of it is we’re very transparent. One of our core values is being open and honest. It ends up creating more trust with our customers, employees, and partners. It’s the opposite of what most businesses do. Most try to be secret with their secret strategies.
Mike’s mentor experience at retailer.While I was there I learned firsthand a great lesson in customer service. I had sold a sport coat to a gentleman who was very hard to fit. We tried several times with our head tailor to get the coat to fit to the customer’s satisfaction, but after our third or fourth try, the customer became totally frustrated and walked out of the store in anger and frustration. I was stunned. I had never tried so hard to give a customer a satisfactory outcome and felt somewhat miffed that despite our best efforts, the customer lost confidence in us. As I mentioned, my boss was a great teacher and mentor who took the time to explain how sometimes trying hard and doing the right things will not guarantee that the customer will be happy. My boss said that the next time I encountered a similar situation I should just say, “We’ve tried our very best, but despite our efforts, it’s not going to satisfy you. Why don’t we try a different coat or let us give you your money back?” I was a little surprised by his comment because we really had bent over backward to make things right.My boss explained that even though I may have been right, this customer might go back to his office and share his dissatisfaction with as many as 20 or 30 of his coworkers. I hadn’t considered that aspect of the situation, but I learned a very valuable rule about customer service. Even though you may be dead right, it can potentially be harmful to attempt to prove it. Being right may not matter very much in certain situations.I was fortunate enough to learn this lesson at an early age. More of this is highlighted in Social Media Leadership, but if this was an important lesson then, it’s even more powerful now. As Paul Gillin, author of The New Influencers, notes, “Conventional marketing wisdom long held that a dissatisfied customer tells ten people. In the new age of social media, he or she has the tools to tell ten million.”
Customer support is typically viewed as a cost center. Even when customer service and sales are combined, too many companies still fail to see the relationship between service and brand perception. They dismiss or undervalue the critical role that customer service plays in the big marketing picture. But the line between branding efforts and customer service efforts is blurring, if it’s not disappearing entirely. It seems to me that the businesses who don’t get this have only a couple of choices. They can wait until some social media-driven PR disaster resulting from poor customer service takes a real bite out of brand image and earnings, or they can begin to integrate social media interactions into existing customer service, contact centers, and help desks, uncovering real cost savings while burnishing the brand. On January 31, 2011, Jive Software announced the results of the largest customer survey ever conducted on the business impact of social business adoption. The responses from 500 individuals representing 300 companies worldwide reported these top customer engagement benefits:• 42 percent more communication with customers• 31 percent increase in customer retention• 34 percent higher brand awareness• 28 percent decrease in support call volume• 34 percent more feedback and ideas from customers• 27 percent increase in new customer sales An even more recent survey from Forrester found that nearly 5,000 consumers prefer better customer experiences even over lower prices. Another unexpected outcome of that studywas the discovery that many of the obstacles that companies face when implementing change initiatives were resolved when the company deployed customer service social media initiatives. The key takeaway? Not only can companies transform customer service, but they can also successfully lead the changes required for better customer experiences—which drive business process improvements deeper into the organization. The hard data from studies like these, and the experiences of those companies who have changed the way they think about, and offer, customer service, demonstrate how pervasive the benefits of social media customer service actually are. The benefits also show up in better branding, new sales, better customer retention, even the ability to effect internal organizational change. The jury is coming back in. It seems that social media has value well beyond the intangibles of relationships or good will. The Customer Has Friends While I was in college, I had the good fortune to work for a great mentor in a high-end retail clothing store. While I was there I learned firsthand a great lesson in customer service. I had sold a sport coat to a gentleman who was very hard to fit. We tried several times with our head tailor to get the coat to fit to the customer’s satisfaction, but after our third or fourth try, the customer became totally frustrated and walked out of the store in anger and frustration. I was stunned. I had never tried so hard to give a customer a satisfactory outcome and felt somewhat miffed that despite our best efforts, the customer lost confidence in us. As I mentioned, my boss was a great teacher and mentor who took the time to explain how sometimes trying hard and doing the right things will not guarantee that the customer will be happy. My boss said that the next time I encountered a similar situation I should just say, “We’ve tried our very best, but despite our efforts, it’s not going to satisfy you. Why don’t we try a different coat or let us give you your money back?” I was a little surprised by his comment because we really had bent over backward to make things right. My boss explained that even though I may have been right, this customer might go back to his office and share his dissatisfaction with as many as 20 or 30 of his coworkers. I hadn’t considered that aspect of the situation, but I learned a very valuable rule about customer service. Even though you may be dead right, it can potentially be harmful to attempt to prove it. Being right may not matter very much in certain situations. I was fortunate enough to learn this lesson at an early age. (You’ll see more of this lesson highlighted in Chapter 6, which deals in depth with reputation management.) But if this was an important lesson then, it’s even more powerful now. As Paul Gillin, author of The New Influencers, notes, “Conventional marketing wisdom long held that a dissatisfied customer tells ten people. In the new age of social media, he or she has the tools to tell ten million.” Conclusion While no amount of blogging, tweeting or Facebook interaction will replace traditional customer support, social media tools can certainly augment and enhance it, not just reducing costs, but fitting into larger marketing efforts. At a time when customers are becoming far less likely to call a contact center than to go online and vent to the world—and when negative information has an extraordinarily long shelf life—it just makes sense to extend customer service into real time where your customers are talking. Those companies who can take a proactive approach, reaching out with a helping hand into online chat, forums, blogs, and the social media networking sites where those conversations are taking place will be the biggest winners. For the last few years we have tried our best to make ourselves a winner by making all of these initiatives a part of our company culture. It’s just plain old smart business and our employees also appreciate our deep commitment to serving our customers. I’ve always preached that there is a direct correlation between trust and profit. If your customers trust and respect you, then I think you are likely to be profitable and stay around for a long time. Despite all of your best efforts, 100% customer satisfaction may not be possible. But everyone in your organization needs to be highly committed to good customer service and to using social media as a major part of your customer service practices. The customer, remember, is always right. And he may have ten million friends.
Downside of poor customer service is well documentedUpside to this new dynamic:Fostering a loyal community around brands prompts customers to begin to answer one another’s questions, to resolve issues or to validate complaintsProviding a customer community of mutual assistance can become an important first level of support for customer questions, resulting in cost savingsCustomer support is the best place to build your business case for embarking on a social media initiativeCost considerations:Face-to-face interactionsLive support calls, are the most costly means of addressing support issues, it just makes sense to avail yourself of the virtual army of unpaid, but willing, customer support volunteers. They’re already hard at work for some companies who are getting a bargain from their efforts.
While no amount of blogging, tweeting or Facebook interaction will replace traditional customer support, social media tools can certainly augment and enhance it, not just reducing costs, but fitting into larger marketing efforts. At a time when customers are becoming far less likely to call a contact center than to go online and vent to the world—and when negative information has an extraordinarily long shelf life—it just makes sense to extend customer service into real time where your customers are talking. Those companies who can take a proactive approach, reaching out with a helping hand into online chat, forums, blogs, and the social media networking sites where those conversations are taking place will be the biggest winners.For the last few years we have tried our best to make ourselves a winner by making all of these initiatives a part of our company culture. It’s just plain old smart business and our employees also appreciate our deep commitment to serving our customers. I’ve always preached that there is a direct correlation between trust and profit. If your customers trust and respect you, then I think you are likely to be profitable and stay around for a long time.Despite all of your best efforts, 100% customer satisfaction may not be possible. But everyone in your organization needs to be highly committed to good customer service and to using social media as a major part of your customer service practices. The customer, remember, is always right. And he may have ten million friends.