Guest post by Brenda Priddy
There are some companies whose Twitter presence leaves much to be desired. Not only do they lack any kind of conversation flow, they fail to fulfil the basic purpose of any company or brand social media feed, which is to address customers’ concerns head on without them having to reach for the phone. This is just one of the modern ways in which customers have come to expect good service – anything that disrupts as little as possible from their day-to-day routine is good with them. It’s therefore an essential must these days that a brand ought to be tweeting, sharing, and liking if they are to really get to know their customers.
But with social media power, comes great social media responsibility. In order for a brand’s Twitter feed to be really adept at delivering successful customer service, it needs to be on the button with regards to company mentions, hashtags, and general customer complaints that will inevitably be floating about their Twittershpere at some point or other. Most of all, a brand has to interact with their customers, and, as these companies demonstrate, not be afraid to take things that little bit further.
JetBlue
The American airline has gone through some ups and downs throughout its lifetime, such as its 2007 fiasco, where passengers were left stranded on planes for hours at a time due to ice storms. This caused the company to rethink its brand image and communication strategy, of which an experimental Twitter account was born. Far from being a temporary addition, however, the JetBlue customer service Twitter feed is what has helped pull the company back into the ring and deliver an impressive blow when it comes to being there for its customers.
From JetBlue’s Twitter team, passengers can expect frank, no-nonsense interaction about flight delays; a true real-time experience throughout every stage of their journey, and a two-way dialogue, which involves JetBlue actively asking their customers about the dos and don’ts of an ideal travel service. It is this proactive and upfront approach that has enabled JetBlue to turn around their sales and become one of the industry’s leading companies in customer service.
Interestingly, their Twitter feed was also used in a crisis management situation, where a flight to Amarillo in Texas was diverted due to an indisposed pilot incident. During the events that ensured, JetBlue left no question unanswered, responding with the dry, witty tone and expressive transparency they are now known for.
Best Buy
The American electronics retailer doesn’t just run one customer service Twitter account – it governs three, each one tailored to a specific type of problem commonly experienced by its customers. The main channel is @BestBuySupport, but customers can also tweet to @Twelpforce and @geeksquad, the latter of which delivers expert technical support.
Agents manning the second two accounts also have their own company Twitter profiles. BestBuy encourages as many of its 180,000 employees as possible to be able to engage in social media communications, host strong writing skills, and requires them to log at least six months of internal customer service first (manning email accounts and contact numbers). Each consumer tweet is assigned to a skilled BestBuy employee, ensuring that more dedicated, thorough responses are given. And according to John Bernier, the co-creator of Twelpforce, this enables reps to feel a “personal sense of pride” at having contributed to a positive solution.
American Airlines
American Airlines is another airline that has impressed customers with its prompt, tailored responses, interaction when passengers are in the air, and a dedication to following through a problem until it is solved. Its in-house team of 15 monitors the Twitter account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and the team has a goal of responding to customer tweets within ten minutes, showing empathy when asking for details and using the Direct Message feature to ask for sensitive travel information. Reps are also empowered to infuse responses with their own personality – something the airline recognises as being increasingly important, as customers like to speak to a human, not a robot.
One customer reported how company staff had gone above and beyond for him when he was likely to miss a connecting flight, due to his first flight being delayed. After tweeting about his concerns, he was met with a helpful response from an AA rep, who checked the passenger’s flight scheduled flight details and tweeted him the information to save him valuable time when arriving on the ground. As well as this, the rep notified the gate staff of the family’s situation so that they could hold the plane until they arrived. Now that’s customer service.
Image courtesy of Huffingtonpost.com
Starbucks
Starbucks chains are renowned for having a uniquely dynamic relationship with customers. With 2.1 million followers, it has become widely known as the model for social media excellence in the corporate world, and has been ranked as the eighth most popular company on the social media platform.
One only needs to take a brief glance at Starbucks’ main Twitter feed to see that most of its tweets are directed at users, often starting with an apology of some kind (in response to a problem), followed with a politely suggested solution. You won’t find many product promotions or advertisements, and the rare few are often accompanied with a photograph and a friendly message.
Additionally, the company has set up a @MyStarbucksIdea profile in more recent times, which encourages customers to tweet their ideas about how service could be improved. Every time a new idea is implemented, public credit is given to the customer that suggested it, showing that Starbucks values and appreciates the input of its customers, almost relating to them as a silent partner. By taking the time to listen and respond to customers, and treating them like friends rather than commodities, Starbucks has managed to build up a relationship with their audience that is based on confidence and trust.
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