Growth tips 30 seconds to business enlightenment.
Using Social Media to build (and repair) customer relationships
17-Feb-2011
Ideally, we proactively contact our customers to assess their level of
satisfaction (or better yet their level of advocacy) with our service
and take action to resolve any issues that are raised. This needs to be
a regular discipline, as the dynamics of the relationship can change
over time.
Despite our best efforts, sometimes the customer does not receive the
experience they expect from us – and they now have a growing number of
channels to provide us with feedback.
A frustrated customer might vent their feelings to you in person – or
via the phone. This suits some customers – particularly those who can
easily express their feelings verbally and enjoy the confrontation that
can sometimes accompany verbal dialogue.
However, those who are shyer of disposition are less likely to confront
you in this manner. Hopefully they will email you – but they might just
as easily mutter under their breath – and resolve to take their
business elsewhere and tell anyone who cares to listen about their
dissatisfaction with your firm. Unfortunately your company can miss the
chance to put things right in this scenario.
Increasingly these days, customers express their feelings about brands
via online channels: Facebook and Twitter are the most common, but also
specialist sites that invite their users to rate brands and then write
their own reviews about their experience.
Your staff also express themselves online. We have seen many instances
where an ill-considered email, blog, or tweet by a staff member has led
to real brand damage – understandably when they can be perceived by
customers to represent the voice of the company.
Some form of social media policy is appropriate to clarify expectations
for your people (e.g. talking about new products before they are
launched might be a "no go zone", as might be voicing political opinions
etc), but you can’t create a policy to cover every client facing
communications scenario. What can you do?
Define your Core Values clearly, both to your staff and to your customers.
Everyone should know what you stand for and what you will not stand
for. When anyone in your team is in doubt about what to say, what to
write, or what decision to make – all they need to do is ask, “What do
our Core Values suggest is the right thing to do here?”
No – not those mealy mouthed, generic words you see written on plaques
in company foyers (honesty, integrity, customer service, teamwork,
etc). Rather, you need to clarify the “real” meaningful behaviors that
make your company unique - the guidelines that drive the decisions of
ALL your people every day.
If your staff know these Core Values, are aligned with them (you have
recruited people who are the right cultural fit), and they know they
will be held accountable to uphold these vales as part of an ongoing
performance appraisal process – then they can be empowered to take the
right actions in all their customer facing communications.
Take a look at the plaque in your foyer. Do your Core Values pass this test?
Comment
Sign Up For Growth Tips:
To ensure your Weekly Growth Tip does not end up being blocked by your spam filter make sure that you whitelist info@RESULTS.COM in your e-mail and with your ISP.
Follow Us
At your weekly management meeting (you do have one don't you?) - share the latest Growth Tip with your team and ask the question: "How can we apply this information in our business?"
Commit to taking some form of action. You will be glad you did.
34531334269947::RESULTS.com | The Missing 98%
| Day |
Monday
|
|---|---|
| Date | 21-May-2012 |
In a rock 'n roll perspective it means having every member of the band playing the same song, with the same passion, in the same key, every night.
www.brandlikearockstar.com
Steve