Using Social Media To Enhance Customer Service

How is your dealership using social media? We hope you engage with existing and potential customers, inform them, entertain them….but what about the customer service side of your business? If that is not something currently represented in your social media presence, you should re-think your strategy!

According to customer experience platform company Falcon Social, 70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated. That is huge. In the same report, it was found that a customer is 4x more likely to go to a competitor due to a service-related issue rather than an issue that has to do with the product itself or even the price.

The new trend in social media for businesses is to engage and react through those channels. Before social media became such a huge part of marketing strategy, customers didn’t have such an easy way to reach businesses and give feedback or ask questions. They also didn’t have the expectation that a business would respond quickly to them – but they certainly do now.

Social customer service is the “new normal.” Customers feel empowered to contact businesses directly with any issues they may have, and they expect their requests to be met in a timely matter. This is just one reason out of many that your business should be constantly monitoring your social media accounts. You don’t want to miss a message or comment that expresses an issue or negativity – ideally you should respond right away. The same goes for a positive message or comment. The quicker you respond, the better it is for the customer and your business.

Online users visiting your business on social media outlets also have higher expectations in terms of your content in general. Are you providing educational information that relates to your units? Do you share event details well ahead of time? Are there pictures of your inventory that they can easily find? These are all things a customer may come to your Facebook page looking for, and it has now become standard to have them. Be proactive in your social media efforts. Think about what your followers may want to see and provide that for them before they need to ask for it!

One great tip is to consider what you would do differently with your social media strategy if followers had to pay for it. How would you make it worth the money? Give them useful information and entertaining content, engage with them, answer their questions promptly – these are all aspects of customer service through social media.

Bring value to your social media offerings that other companies do not. Provide your followers with an experience when they visit your Twitter feed or Instagram account. Don’t just join social media outlets – turn them into an opportunity to draw in more followers who could ultimately lead to buying customers!