According to the 2014 American Express Global Customer Service Barometer, 38 percent of consumers surveyed said they believed that companies, increasingly, were failing at providing exceptional customer service.
This data indicated a significant gap that effective brands need to narrow if they expect to consistently engage their customers and build reliable brand loyalty. By utilizing new technology and innovative strategies that emphasize the prominence of the customer, organizations can position themselves as leaders in customer service and deliver the singular experiences that consumers will return for again and again.
Just how do you emphasize the prominence of the customer? Here are several strategies:
1. Make the most of your social media interactions, especially on Twitter.
Customer service requests are increasingly moving toward social media, and companies that want to excel in this new environment must invest the resources in their social strategy to drive value for customers throughout these interactions. Research from management consultancy McKinsey & Company found that between 2013 and 2015, the number of tweets mentioning brands more than doubled, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down.
Twitter, in particular, is taking steps to make it easier for brands to provide customer service through its platform. The company recently allowed any account to apply for verified status, which, once attained, means that followers can send direct messages containing service-related questions without the need for the company to follow back.
Twitter has also allowed brands to designate a particular handle with a “provides support” label,…