How to Use Customer Service as a Marketing Tool!

75 Billion Dollars was lost due to customer service last year.
That means there is $75 Billion worth of opportunity for your business.

I recently sat in on a presentation given by Author Shep Hyken, and he was full of great advice that I’d like to share with you. I think he was spot-on in nearly every statement. Here’s the low-down:

Your customers compare you to the best service they’ve ever received from anyone—not just your competitors in your market. Think of the best customer service you’ve ever received, and you’ll find most people’s brains either go straight to Amazon, or, on the contrary, small local shop.

Here’s the key:
You don’t need to be extraordinary. You actually only need to be slightly better than average. BUT, you must be better than average EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.  Pick one thing below (or something different that you and your team agree on) and make sure that you are that. ALWAYS.

• ALWAYS be on time
• ALWAYS be knowledgeable
• ALWAYS be quick to respond
• ALWAYS be friendly

You don’t need to be all of these, just one. In doing this, your customers will notice, and you can become the company that is always surpassing the competition in that category.

How does this translate to Marketing? Social media, of course.

1. Engage

   There are a couple of ways you can look at this:

   1. Great customer service provides great content for social media. Post about your success stories, and encourage your customers to give reviews on social media as well!
   2. Any of your content can serve as a launch pad for engagement with your audience, which can then create a relationship.
   3. If your customer service is social media, it becomes a spectator sport. Everyone is watching. Make this a GOOD thing.

2. Respond to everything

   Brands are typically in the habit of responding only to negative comments, but remember to interact with positive comments as well. Take the time to thank those who leave positive comments or reviews.

3. Respond quickly

   The average response wait for brands on social media is 7 hours. Remember the beginning of this article about being better than average? Here are a couple of examples of brands that do this well:

• • FedEx response goal is 20 min. Actual response time averages about an hour.
  • Shep Hyken spoke of a time that American Airlines responded to his message mid-flight when he was going to miss a connecting flight because of a delay. They responded 8 minutes later to resolve the situation.

4. Manage reviews

   This goes hand-in-hand with #2, respond to everything.

5. Be real

   Don’t be afraid to show your brand’s personality. As long as its on-brand, humor is a great way to connect with your audience.

6. Offer self-service options

   Arm customers with information so that they may find solutions after hours, avoid on-hold music, etc. Below are just a few examples:

   1. Knowledgebase—FAQ
   2. Crowdsource/Forum
   3. Video—How-to videos

7. Social Customer Care is about Convenience.

   Remember this:

   1. It’s not always necessary to go above and beyond to resolve a customer’s issue, as long as you’re able to do it efficiently.
   2. If possible, it helps both you and the customer for you to have a good profile on each customer. Consider a hair salon—you’re able to have a good idea of what they may want before they even explain.
   3. Give them options so that they may communicate in a way that is most convenient for them. (Phone, email, live chat, etc.)

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about this topic, please reach out to the NewPoint team. If you are interested in more food marketing topics, please visit our Food for Thought page or check out NewPoint’s Patrick Nycz’s book: Moving Your Brand Up the Food Chain.