It is relatively easy to separate traditional marketing from customer care. Direct marketing companies have different telephone numbers for ordering and service. Retail stores have different departments or check out lines. People have been trained to follow different routes when they want to make a purchase or resolve an issue.
Social media is different.
Communities aren't departmentalized. People expect to be able to discuss anything from the best deals to the worst service without being directed to a different account or channel. Keep this in mind when you are developing your strategy. If you don't, you are gambling with customer relationships, retention, and lifetime value. Here are some questions to help you get started:
- What is the best way to cross departmental lines to provide the best of everything for your customers?
- Who is in charge?
- Who answers the questions?
- What service levels do you provide on the different platforms?
- When should issues be moved from the public timeline to a private conversation?
- How will you handle social media bullies?
The days where we could maximize efficiency by departmentalizing functions are history. Social media crosses lines. It can be very messy. Make sure that your team has all the information and tools needed to make it work. Including customer care.
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