Creating WOW Customer Service With Social Media

One of the major ways companies are getting positive return from their online campaigns is by improving their customer service quality and responsiveness. It is clear now that social media is going to be key in the coming years for engaging buyers and potential clients, but have you thought about where great customer service really comes from?

Go to any book store or library and you can find a gajillion books that promise to tell you how to deliver a stellar customer experience. Then there are all the online case studies that show the tools, procedures, rule books, and call center scripts that are essential if you are going to make the shopper super happy and want to return again and again.

In truth though it is not that simple. There is a key reason why parroting these successful companies just will not work.

Zappos.com

One of the most famous examples of using social media for customer services is Zappos. If you have not heard of Zappos they are a successful online retailer specializing in shoes. Check out this from an Inc. article:

The Web entrepreneur and marketing guru Seth Godin has likened Hsieh’s ability to use technology to connect with his customers to the Beatles’ ability to animate their teenage fans. The blog Search Engine Land calls Zappos “the poster child for how to connect with customers online.”

What most of Hsieh’s admirers — and even some Zappos employees — don’t know is that this openness doesn’t come naturally. Hsieh has been exceptionally shy all his life and finds meeting strangers exhausting. (His trick to get over his shyness is to pretend he’s interviewing you for a job.) Those seemingly off-the-cuff Twitter missives? He spends 10 minutes or so carefully composing each one

So it’s not instinctive or spontaneous, and it seems it is not even comfortable to the founder of the company who is so lauded and studied by other company leaders looking for a boost in their own fortunes.

Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh

Anyone who merely observes and copies Zappos on the surface is going to fail miserably. There is obviously more to this success than the gimmicks written about in the media, or even their innovative human resources tactics (for example offering new hires a couple of grand to get them to quit).

Zappos has built in super customer service into the company from the inside out. They did not set out to create this customer experience as an example to others, it was a survival strategy:

Because the company could not afford to spend money on marketing, the sales strategy involved making customers so happy that they bought again or told their friends or both.

… and it has worked, partly due to taking the risk of enabling the staff and colleagues to have freedom to do whatever it takes. As in the following example …

he told a story about a woman whose husband died in a car accident after she had ordered boots for him from Zappos. The day after she called to ask for help with the return, she received a flower delivery. The call center rep had ordered the flowers without checking with a supervisor and billed them to the company. “At the funeral, the widow told her friends and family about the experience,” Hsieh said, his voice cracking and his eyes tearing up ever so slightly. “Not only was she a customer for life, but so were those 30 or 40 people at the funeral.”

So what do we really learn from Zappos example?

Build a real culture that puts the customer first, rather than lip service and mission statements.
Take the risk that you can not control your message.
Empower your team to do what is necessary.
Consciously and proactively communicate with customers.
OVER-Deliver on your promises.

In the last point Zappos again has a lesson. They now do not promise overnight delivery, even though they do deliver over night in many cases. This is not to save money on shipping, but so when the items arrive the customer is surprised and thrilled.

It is not just about service but experience. That means going beyond being responsive, taking it further than what you should do and being constantly on the look out for new ways to engage customers and enhance the relationship.

Your customers are only a click away from a competitor. Why should they stick with you for their next purchase?

Twitter in particular is becoming key to proactive customer service – hunting out the people who are upset/disappointed before their issues fester.

Start by listening! Search for people mentioning key words, especially your brand
Set up Twitter accounts and Facebook fan pages, and let people know they exist and that you respond to them
Use social media as channels to get out exclusive offers, discounts, voucher codes, competitions
Request and gather feedback at every opportunity – ask questions and show you are listening to the responses
Look for ways you can help, and give staff the permission to seek out and interact

Remember also that getting involved in social media sets an expectation. You must follow through. If you set up a presence then people will expect you to respond when they talk to you. Ignore your customers and they will remember, and the idea will backfire. Make sure your company is engaged in social media for the long haul.

We are not yet at the stage where social media is a “must have”, like a website and email customer service, but I think we will get there.

Do you have examples of fantastic customer service? Please share in the comments …