In any business, it is crucial to nurture your relationships with your customers. With the prevalence of social media, communication with your customers has never been more important. Walt Disney famously said “Do it so well that when people see you do it they will want to come back and see you do it again, and they will want to bring others and show them how well you do what you do.” When you have happy and satisfied customers, you can be sure of creating positive word of mouth that can be priceless for your business. In social media terms, this translates to likes and shares.
If you have a disgruntled customer they can use social media and other platforms to share a negative opinion about your company at any given moment, so it remains important to put time and energy into creating a customer-focused culture. It is not uncommon to see companies establish an online presence but fail to engage with their consumers, which results in a less than satisfactory customer experience. The trick is to pay just as much attention to your customer relationships as you do to the other aspects of operating your business.
Data shows that on average, 89% of customers take their business to a competitor every year as a result of poor service. 60% of customers are prepared to pay more for a better customer experience. When a customer receives the service they feel they deserve and sees their issue successfully resolved, they will tell between 4-6 people. It is important to talk to your customers as individuals and avoid coming across as a nameless or faceless business. When you receive a complaint or message on social media, ensure the reply is swift, proactive, personalised and signed by the employee that responds.
A third of consumers experience rude customer service at least once a month and 58% tell their friends. This highlights how word of mouth can reach a vast amount of people and affect your business in the long run. By listening to your customers on social media channels, you can make them feel comfortable and valued and ensure they will return. 81% of companies that consistently deliver competent customer service are outperforming their competitors so the value of satisfying your audience cannot be overstated.