Social customer service is no longer an innovative concept; for most, particularly the big names, it is now an integral part of customer service operations. The question being asked is no longer ‘Does your business handle customer complaints via social media?’ – it is “How well are you performing? What is your typical response rate?’
Earlier this week, SimplyMeasured published an intriguing blog post, which analysed the performance of dedicated customer support handles of the Interbrand Top 100 Brands.
Less than a quarter of Interbrand Top 100 have dedicated customer service profiles on Twitter. I wonder why this figure isn’t any greater, when there are a number of clear-cut benefits to having a unique customer services handle:
- By separating out customer services from marketing, you avoid promoting to consumers who may have had enough of your brand already
- Measurement can be more accurate and detailed if customer service and marketing activity aren’t muddled together
- Response rates may be improved if less sifting through posts is required
SimplyMeasured’s blog shows that @NikeSupport is a shining example of how social customer service should be done. With an average response time of 2.8 hours vs the Interbrand average of 5.4 hours, Nike is working hard to impress its customers.
Those brands that make a firm commitment to social customer service in the next year or so, are sure to feel the rewards later down the line. Whether dedicated customer support profiles will be the norm in 2 years time, we will have to wait and see.
To read SimplyMeasured’s full blog, click here.
