What’s the first thing you think of when someone says customer service? Email? Chat? Lengthy waiting times on a call? While most of us are well-accustomed to the traditional channels of proving customer service, we can’t ignore the undeniable role of Twitter in catering to customers.
Every day, we see hundreds of people taking to Twitter to lash out against a brand, sharing a negative experience, and potentially destroying the business’s reputation. On the flip side, there’re also a few people who appreciate brands on Twitter. How do you provide the best experience and service for your customers on Twitter? We asked customer experience consultant, Dan Gingiss. Here’s a summary of our chat.
Guest: Dan Gingiss
Topic: Providing Customer Service on Twitter
Format: Eight questions directed at the guest. Everyone’s welcome to share.
Twitter started off as a platform to offer customer service, in addition to the standard email and phone support that most businesses are used to.
However, nowadays, it’s more of an essential part of every business’ media strategy. Not only are you helping one customer when you’re responding to their tweet, but you’re also sending a message to the rest of the world that you’re available and willing to support customers.
A1b. Customer service on Twitter is an opportunity to not just help one customer at a time, but also to let the world know you care about helping customers. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/qypqEW2BFf
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Being on Twitter not only increases your reach, but it also helps you listen to what your customers are saying. As Jim pointed out, even though it’s likely that most of your customers will reach out on Facebook, there’s always a portion of them tweeting out, both appreciation and complaints.
A1 You never know which social media platform customers prefer to contact you. Facebook is likely the leader, but you risk cutting yourself off from feedback if you don't have a Twitter presence as well. #TwitterSmarter
— Jim Katzaman – Get Debt-Free One Family at a Time (@JKatzaman) March 19, 2020
If you’re still looking for a reason to offer support on Twitter, consider what Maria said: Twitter is the place people go to take a break from their usual social life. So for instance, someone who’s regular on Facebook, could also occasionally send out a tweet that could easily gather momentum and initiate conversations. You don’t want to lose out on that.
A1: Twitter is the world’s water cooler so they’re constantly turning to the platform to share good, bad, or indifferent updates about the brands they use. That’s why it’s important to keep your ear to the market via Twitter to engage and intervene! #twittersmarter
— Maria Marchewka (@_MariaMarchewka) March 19, 2020
All that said, however, never underestimate the importance of following your customers.
A1c. It is important to offer customer service on Twitter if that’s where your customers are. I often get asked which social media channels a company should be active in, and the answer is to follow your customers. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/qypqEW2BFf
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Go the extra mile and look for brand mentions that aren’t tags. When someone @mentions you on Twitter, you get a notification—that’s the easy part. However, there’re hundreds of other mentions that don’t tag you or include your hashtag. The only way to notice them is to listen, constantly.
A2a. Listen! ?
Paying attention to brand mentions is easy, but are you looking at untagged mentions, product mentions, competitor mentions, and industry mentions? #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/eZTc5tSYod
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Like Kassie reminded us, one way to keep up with these untagged mentions is to use social media monitoring and management tools. With dedicated tools, you can start engaging with more people, establish relationships, and even form a committed community.
A2: Brands can be more proactive on Twitter by:
✅ Utilizing social listening tools to see what customers & competitors are saying
✅ Interacting with mentions for good reasons too, not just bad.
✅ Connecting with customers in real-time
— Kassie at Goat Social Media (@goatsocialmedia) March 19, 2020
To give us a better understanding of what being proactive means, our guest shared a couple of examples:
A2b. @HiltonHotels is famous for having staffers at hotels provide local restaurant recommendations to anyone looking for them – whether they are a Hilton guest or not. And @DukeEnergy alerts people to storms and potential service disruptions before they happen. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/eZTc5tSYod
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
There are mixed feeling about this one. Although our guest said he’d prefer to have a single, consistent voice for the brand, that doesn’t mean your employees can’t ever respond to customers.
A3b. I’d prefer that the brand maintain a singular, consistent voice on social media, but sometimes it is nearly impossible to respond to the volume of tweets so employees may have to help out. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/TN14JAUmNw
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Sometimes, it can be too much for a brand to handle everything. In that case, employees can help out, for as long as the brand states them as a verified source for information.
A3a. This is a great question, and one I haven’t been asked before! The short answer is that this is fine as long as the employee clearly states that they work for the company. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/TN14JAUmNw
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
However, as our friend mentioned, you should also consider the potential risk that an employee’s tweet poses to the brand as a whole. If the employee’s personal opinions and tweets are contradictory to your business’s policies, that could harm your reputation.
A3: My suggestion will be no. Information from employees’ personal account may contain harmful messages to the brand. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/x3iF23htFO
— Trashpanda Shogun (@_Donnnnn77) March 19, 2020
The most important thing: don’t ignore anyone. It’s essential that you acknowledge and respond to every mention and question. Not only does that increase your credibility with that person, but it also showcases your brand as responsible on social media. You don’t have to solve their issues right away—that’s not practical. But you can give them your ear and respect, and that’s what you should do.
A4a. The first is to respond to everyone – complaints, questions, and compliments. As my friend @jaybaer says, the customer isn’t always right but the customer always deserves to be heard. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/6I7hIxHogo
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
It’s also worth remembering at all times that Twitter is a public forum. Your response is visible for the entire world. Be careful of what you say and how you say it.
A4b. Remember that #Twitter is a public-facing customer service channel, so treat every interaction as if the world is watching. That means remaining calm, always being polite, and actively trying to resolve issues. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/6I7hIxHogo
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Another factor to keep in mind is that you’re you. Showcase the real you to your community. As Rita suggested, humanize your brand whenever possible, and engage in real-time conversations. Use GIFs and images to liven your profile, and if you’re confident enough take it a notch further, create custom GIFs.
A4: Humanise your brand – it's more than okay to be quirky and have REAL conversations with your customers. Make the most of GIFs and video – show them that you're human. #TwitterSmarter
— Rita W Bologna (@RitaWBologna1) March 19, 2020
There’s a lot to say about direct messages. Most people tend to use that feature for sales pitching, entirely forgetting that it’s a means for genuine conversation. One of my favorite hashtags is #DownWithDMs. However, when used properly, direct messages are an invaluable way to serve with your customers.
Since a lot of issues and complaints that people speak of on Twitter are all related to their individual accounts, you may be dealing with emails and other sensitive contact details. That’s when it’s ideal for you to take to direct messages.
A4c. Moving to direct messaging on Twitter is fine, especially for privacy reasons. But do not attempt to get people to call or email; it’s like asking someone who calls to tweet instead! #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/6I7hIxHogo
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Often, the person behind your brand’s Twitter handle responds to a customer’s complaint, but will forget to report and follow-up the issue with the customer support team. When that feedback loop breaks, you end up with distressed customers and a negative Twitter presence. It’s the duty of the social media manager to make sure every customer gets a complete response.
A5a. Make sure there is a feedback loop between customer service and the rest of the organization, so that recurring issues can be resolved at the source to prevent additional complaints. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/lZTTYoMKBX
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
In typical customer service jobs, people are trained in ways to respond to different types of customer questions. That helps prepare you for the myriad of issues that you might face when upset customers tweet out to you. As Lance said, try and monitor the issues your customer service team is dealing with on a daily basis so that you know how to respond if someone tweets out asking if there’s a service disruption or an upcoming feature.
#TwitterSmarter A5: Daily CS monitoring (more frequent if you have time and resources). Be prepared for the inevitable #CustomerService issue and know how you'll respond in a number of different circumstances. Understand there'll always be something new!
— Lance A Schart (@LanceASchart) March 19, 2020
Ever heard that a standard response time on Twitter is 2-4 hours? It’s not always do-able, especially if you’re in a different time zone, but that’s the nature of Twitter. People expect quick responses. Try and reply to every query as soon as you can, even if all you can say is that your team’s working on it. That gives the customer some peace of mind, assuring them that you’re there for them.
A5c. Respond as quickly as possible, even if it’s to say “we’re looking into it”. Customers want to know they are being heard but are generally understanding if it takes a little time to get to a resolution. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/lZTTYoMKBX
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Dan also pointed out that when customers complain about your brand, it shows that they care enough to let you know. They could’ve dumped you for your competitor, but by choosing to tell you what you need to fix and how, they’re meeting you halfway, and rooting for your success. Be grateful and show that in your response.
A5b. Remember that most customers complain because they care – they genuinely want you to solve their problem. If they didn’t care, they’d just move on to your competitor and not even tell you. Let that be reflected in your attitude and tone. #twittersmarter https://t.co/lZTTYoMKBX
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Here’re a few other ideas our community shared:
The obvious distinction is that Twitter is more public, and unlike calls, written. That’s why it’s so important to double check your spelling, tone, hashtags, and potential PR reach.
A6a. The two most obvious differences are that Twitter is public (vs. emails) and written (vs. calls). Both of those things together mean that spelling, grammar, tone, PR awareness, and strong writing skills are all critical. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/5R71zJfAnC
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Since Twitter is a transparent medium, take this opportunity to show the world how you are as a business partner. Your response to one customer could become the indicator for your business policies.
A6b. The world is watching when companies respond (or don’t!) to customer service inquiries on Twitter. This can be a huge opportunity to demonstrate what it’s like to do business with you. It can also be a confidence-killer. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/5R71zJfAnC
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Another important difference that you should keep in mind is that unlike in emails and calls, people don’t always share in-depth issues on Twitter. Most mentions could just be a casual inconvenience or something specific to their account. Even then, respond and show that you’re eager to help.
A6c. Generally complaints can’t get too deep or detailed on Twitter (without DM), so you get more griping than actual issues. Many people tweet at brands with no specific issue at all. Still respond and ask how you can help. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/5R71zJfAnC
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
And of course, as Andrea said, Twitter is ultimately an engagement platform. When you’re working with a customer to resolve their issue, you’re also setting the groundwork for future engagement with your content. A happy customer will always be up for sharing your blog posts and participating on your polls.
A6: Twitter is more focus on engagement! And, brands not only solve problems from customers, but also build their image. #TwitterSmarter
— Andrea Xiao (@AndreaXiao6) March 19, 2020
Dan’s expert advice is to use a tool that’s designed from a customer service or call center perspective, instead of just a social media management point of view. That way, you get a more direct and complete view of a customer’s problem, their history of conversation with your support team, and some background information on your response.
A7a: I recommend a tool that is specifically designed from a call center perspective, vs. those that were originally designed from a social media marketing/publishing perspective and then service was bolted on. #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/VwGJPDPZBs
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Some of Dan’s recommendations include Clarabridge, Conversocial, Freshdesk, Zendesk, Sprinklr, and Sprout Social. There’re plenty more, of course. If you’re looking for a straightforward Twitter listening tool that’s also free, look no further than Tweet Deck. It’s excellent for individually monitoring hashtags, lists, notifications, messages, accounts, and more.
A7b. I try not to play favorites, so I’ll list a few really solid players in no particular order and let the masses decide: @Clarabridge @conversocial @freshdesk @Zendesk @Sprinklr @SproutSocial #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/VwGJPDPZBs
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Tristan shared an excellent tip as well. If you can manage it, track your Twitter customer service on your CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software as well. That way, if you’re also checking your customer service team’s responses from your support software, you get a complete picture of your customer’s purchase history and satisfaction rate. That’s invaluable information to decide how you should respond to them on Twitter.
A7 Use of #sociallistening tools allow you to join ALL the conversations happening not just around your business but the industry as well!!
Also track this in your #CRM if you can – so you ensure you follow up POST solution to any issues!
GO OVER & ABOVE!#TwitterSmarter https://t.co/nZR2zFJO1h
— Tristan Griffiths #ImTristanG (@ImTristanG) March 19, 2020
Of course, don’t forget the best tool you can have: humans who really care. Make sure your customer support team and the person handling your Twitter account are empathetic and can keep a level head under pressure. You want them to be considerate communicators.
A7c. The best tool you have is your human customer service agents who are empathetic, willing and able to help, and great communicators! #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/VwGJPDPZBs
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Dan’s favorites are Discover, Southwest Airlines, Xbox, Intuit, TMobile, HP Computers, Imperfect Foods, Punkpost, Ask TSA, Chewy, and Sipsmith Gin. Go check them out—you’ll find a lot of inspiration there.
A8b. To start, here are some that were featured in my book: @discover @SouthwestAir @Xbox @Intuit @TMobile @HP #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/SDcPGb7CW5
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
A8c. Here are some brands I’m excited about right now, and often talk about in my keynotes: @imperfect_foods @PunkpostCo @AskTSA @Chewy @sipsmith #TwitterSmarter https://t.co/SDcPGb7CW5
— Dan Gingiss (@dgingiss) March 19, 2020
Natalie also shared some of the regular names we come across on our #TwitterSmarter chat, including Jay Baer, Madalyn Sklar, Starbucks Coffee, and Nike.
A8. This is a very limited list of companies who nail the customer service experience on @Twitter @Starbucks, @Nike, @BobbiBrown, @whbm, @jaybaer, @storybrand, @carlosgil83, @Twitter, @LinkedIn, and @MadalynSklar #twittersmarter https://t.co/TSXuU5A2n0
— Nathalie Gregg (@NathalieGregg) March 19, 2020
Well, that’s all from me this week. For more insights from our chat with Dan, take a look at this Twitter Moment that Joana put together for us. And if you’ve got some free time on Thursday, join us for the next #TwitterSmarter chat at 1pm ET.
Hope you’re all staying safe and vigilant in these strange times. If you’re struggling and need someone to talk to, hit me up any time. And go easy on the toilet paper, folks. Ciao.
About me, Narmadhaa:
I write all things—technical and marketing copy to fill the pocket; haiku and short stories to fill the soul. A social media enthusiast, I’m a member of the #TwitterSmarter chat crew, and always happy to take on writing gigs.
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