Want to know why in the very near future there are going to be companies that offer Great customer service and those that do not exist anymore?
For those of you that know the answer, it is easy and for those of you that do not, you really need to pay attention here.
It is simple. The answer is just two words, Social Media…
Because of Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites out there, good news and bad news is going to not only travel fast, but in volumes and with ease like has never been seen before other than perhaps when our grandparents lived in small towns and everyone knew what was going on almost immediately.
With the advent of mobile devices having instant access to the Internet, potential customers and customers alike will be able to instantly find out if you are worth spending money on. And if you suck at customer service, you will not survive period.
Those businesses that do have great customer service, will thrive and wipe out their competition in a relatively short period of time as their competition dies on the vine wondering what the hell happened to all of their customers.
This is especially true for Brick and Mortar companies. And for those those that still don’t have a decent Website or a Social Media game plan, they are going to be history in short order.
While it is true that you may end up facing some undo pressure from the customer, who let’s all just say it out loud, is an Asshole from Hell when they go on a rant, most smart customers will recognize them for what they are and they will be ostracized and their opinions will not be held in high regard.
So, if you have not gotten off your duff and gotten your Social Media program together, then you really need to get your act together and quickly and beef up your customer service. Because good, bad, or indifferent, news really is going to travel like lightning and you need to keep an handle on what is being said about you and your company and respond to it and fast.
But the best defense is truly a good offense and that is simply treat your customers well! If you have not seen this yet, here is a 5 minute introduction to Twitter.
Cheers,
Andrew
Hi Andrew,
It seems customer service is the mandate now. I've always thought that it is so easy to distinguish yourself in your business by simply giving good service. Social Media raises the bar on that for sure! I'll be following your blog to see what else you have to say – thanks!
Lori
Thanks Lori,
It does indeed raise the bar. Not only in customer service, but in product development. You need to make sure that you include Social Media in all products that are sold online and definitely in software products and services that interact with people.
Glad you liked what you read. Will do my best to no disappoint. Have some more good information coming up shortly. Hope you have a profitable 2011.
Cheers,
Andrew Anderson