Social media has changed the way people are interacting with everyone, including businesses. It has become an easy way to quickly get in touch, leave a review, ask a question or in some instances, file a complaint, and every interaction or the lack of interaction either strengthens or weakens the bond between you and your customers. Having a plan (and possibly a person) in place to provide quality customer service on social media platforms is essential.

First thing’s first: create a policy and have a plan for how you will engage with people and customers through social media. Will you accept DMs (Direct Messages)? Will you like and share reviews? Will you respond to posts and if so which kind of posts? Oftentimes no response is just as bad a negative one; however, whatever you decide to do, be consistent. If you are not planning to respond to DMs, it would be wise to have staff in place to address concerns via email. This allows customers to still have a pleasant experience through social media while you direct them to a more manageable way of communicating with you. 

You should know if and when people post, share and talk about your business on social media. There are several online reputation monitoring tools (i.e. Rankur, Google Alerts, Brandwatch and Brandseye) that will allow you to see what people are saying even if they don’t directly tag you. These tools will help you be proactive in solving problems and building relationships while also keeping you informed about your brand’s overall image.

Here’s a few key pointers. Always be polite. Listen to everyone and take everyone’s concern seriously. Acknowledge what people are saying. Respect how they are feeling and always communicate with positivity. Don’t be afraid to get their details and contact them outside of the app. Be personable. Don’t forget to follow up. Admit when you’re wrong and uphold any promises you make. These small adjustments will not only encourage engagement on social media, which is good for your business, but it will provide a great experience for your customers.