Socialbakers recently released its Q4 results for the best and worst performing brands on social media, defined by a brand’s level of attentiveness to its community.

I was immediately struck by giffgaff’s position at number four in the worst offenders list.

This is a brand that prides itself on working “in collaboration with its members”. Surely a business with such a social proposition should be thriving instead of diving down the social league tables?

And then I remembered a chat I had with Heather Taylor, giffgaff’s former Social Media and PR Manager, back in 2011.

We were discussing her views on creating thriving online communities and one of her strongest beliefs was that, while a good community manager should be entirely immersed in their community, the best communities work not on a One-To-Many, but on a One-To-One-To-Many structure.

In other words, the community will not truly thrive until super users rise up and take moderation into their own hands. The community manager is more of a host, there to facilitate the venue and introductions and throw conversation prompts in when required, but also there to take a step back and keep a subtle, but all-seeing eye over events.

That giffgaff has a seemingly low response rate (8.48%) may be less of an indictment and more of a hat-tip to a self-moderating community.

That said, and while collaborative communities administering self-moderating customer service might sound like social Nirvana, it seems not all brands have quite reached this elevated status, with many failing to deliver on the basics.

In a recent experiment by Research Advice, only 14% of a total of 280 customer service tweets directed at 14 different global brands received any response.

Garnering a community of super users ready to assist, defend and advocate, might be the social idyll, but it will never be achieved until brands get the basic hygiene of social customer service right.

References

Charts courtesy of socialbakers, The Best and Worst UK Brands in Social Customer Service

Infographic courtesy of Ashley Verrill, The Great Social Customer Service Race, supermedia

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I love to talk about social customer service. I think it’s fascinating and incredibly pertinent in our digital world. It also still amazes me how brands and retailers are still missing a trick! I’ve experienced this slow uptake for myself recently; waiting nearly 2 months for a replacement washing machine was certainly enough to make me take to Twitter. Sadly the slow, inadequate response that I received from the whitegoods retailer in question only made me madder.

This brings me on to an interesting whitepaper from Conversocial that I came across today, which looks at the current state of social customer service. Killer stats – not to be scoffed at!

Are you one of the 88% who would be less likely to buy from a brand having seen complaints ignored online? A quick, efficient response on social media no longer impresses, it’s simply expected.

Furthermore, when you look at the outstanding growth stats from 2012 (see below), there’s no denying social customer service is continuing to swell at an exponential rate. It makes you think about the resource implications and how the upscaling of social customer service teams will need to be a priority for many socially active companies in 2013.

297% growth in the number of replies brands sent on Facebook and Twitter Tweet

393% growth in the number of replies brands sent out on Twitter Tweet

“Social media as a core engagement channel will have to be treated as business critical” – I certainly agree with this statement. 2013 looks set to be the defining year in which those who are getting it right really start to see the benefits.  So, I’ll round off with this final graph which serves to emphasise WHY brands should bother with social customer service – pure and simple, it makes customers happy!

To download the full whitepaper ‘Evolving Social Customer Service’ visit this link.

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2012 has been a thrilling year in the world of social media, and we’ve been busy keeping up with the rapidity of changes as and when they happen. As the year draws to a close we’ve chosen the top 5 blog posts of 2012.

1. Afraid of your competitor’s social media activity?
A whopping 85% of brands believe increased social media marketing by competitors will have a significant impact on their social media plans. What’s your response to the social media activity of your rivals?
You may also like:  Five useful content planning tools

2. Social customer service done right – 5 success stories from ASOS to Zappos
Consumers are increasingly turning to social networks as a way to reach out to brands and convey their frustrations and worries. The post outlines recent best practice examples of social customer service.
You may also like:  The hard-hitting reality of social customer service

3. Your socially engaged consumers spend more 
Is there any link between social engagement and consumer spending? This article answers with a resounding “Yes”, showing that the social ROI is tangible and concrete.  
You may also like:  Capturing cross-functional content

4. LinkedIn UK membership stats
LinkedIn has become the central B2B marketing platform of 2012. 4 in 5 UK professionals are now on LinkedIn, and the platform has seen a steady growth of 2 million users per year. The article reveals insightful statistics.
You may also like:  How to provoke good LinkedIn discussions

5. Top UK B2B Twitter profiles
If you are contemplating launching a Twitter stream to stay connected to your customers, then these examples might prove useful. Additionally, the article shows a variety of techniques being used to engage with the customer base.  
You may also  The 4 golden rules of Twitter customer service

…and a bonus – Christmas Special:

6. What People Really Want for Christmas
Social media provides unprecedented access to public opinion instantly. We’ve done some listening and pulled together the ultimate social media Christmas wish list. What do people really want for Christmas?
You may also like: The social snowman driving an 11.4% increase in sales…

We can’t wait to face the opportunities, changes and challenges of 2013. And we are looking forward to sharing the latest developments with you here on the blog. Here’s to an even more thrilling 2013!

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Social customer service is no longer an innovative concept; for most, particularly the big names, it is now an integral part of customer service operations. The question being asked is no longer ‘Does your business handle customer complaints via social media?’ – it is “How well are you performing? What is your typical response rate?’

Earlier this week, SimplyMeasured published an intriguing blog post, which analysed the performance of dedicated customer support handles of the Interbrand Top 100 Brands.

Less than a quarter of Interbrand Top 100 have dedicated customer service profiles on Twitter. I wonder why this figure isn’t any greater, when there are a number of clear-cut benefits to having a unique customer services handle:

• By separating out customer services from marketing, you avoid promoting to consumers who may have had enough of your brand already
• Measurement can be more accurate and detailed if customer service and marketing activity aren’t muddled together
• Response rates may be improved if less sifting through posts is required

SimplyMeasured’s blog shows that @NikeSupport is a shining example of how social customer service should be done. With an average response time of 2.8 hours vs the Interbrand average of 5.4 hours, Nike is working hard to impress its customers.

Those brands that make a firm commitment to social customer service in the next year or so, are sure to feel the rewards later down the line. Whether dedicated customer support profiles will be the norm in 2 years time, we will have to wait and see.

To read SimplyMeasured’s full blog, click here.

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If you are an avid LinkedIn dedicatee you may have noticed a new job title set crop up recently… “Customer Experience” is on the rise and encompasses social media, digital either web or mobile, contact centers, customer service and in-store – essentially any touch point with the customer! It is the Customer Experience folks role to smooth out the customer journey across all channels and importantly, link the digital world with the physical.

Social Customer Experience infographic by Lithium Technologies. See the full version here

So, inspired by this beautiful infographic from the team over at Lithium and our own work in the online customer experience space with our client Tealeaf, an IBM company, here are some of the best tweetable stats from the world of social customer experience…

• 45% of businesses use social media analysis tools to gain a better understanding of the customer experience, with 77% finding it effective  Tweet

•  93% of companies declare customer experience is a top strategic goal  Tweet

• 47% of customers of consumers say a company can earn their loyalty most quickly based on the entire experience from beginning to end  Tweet

• 51% of consumers use social media to share product experience and advice  Tweet

• 74% of consumers use social media to recommend products to friends  Tweet

• 57% of consumers are not likely to spend more money with a brand after a negative experience  Tweet

• 47% say they are more likely to spend more with brands after they have positive experiences  Tweet

• 47% of social customers expect answers within 24 hours when they ask a brand online for help  Tweet

Tealeaf, an IBM company and one of our clients,  are thought leaders in the customer experience space and you may well be interested in taking a look at this Slideshare and mini whitepaper on Understanding the Online Customer Experience http://bit.ly/Pzl5JY. The presentation and whitepaper were put together on the basis of findings from their recent research with Econsultancy.

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Twitter provides great opportunities for businesses to establish effective and engaging communication with their customers. But how should companies go about doing it? Here are some useful principles to follow.

1. Problem acknowledgement and quick apology

Customers value honest communication.  The quicker you apologise and acknowledge the problem, the better.

2. Immediate response

Be ready to engage with the complaint swiftly and without delay. The longer the reply is delayed, the higher the chance of escalating the customer’s frustration.

3.    Genuine interest

Show that you care about your customer. Go beyond providing a simple answer to the query – try to find out the question behind the question.

4.     Private conversation

Try to prevent lengthy public discussions on Twitter, especially when it may bring potentially embarrassing publicity. Instead, bring the conversation to private channel as soon as possible.

In conclusion, the public and instantaneous nature of Twitter communication makes it even more important to get the customer care right. What are your thoughts? Feel free to share your tips in comments below.

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Good benchmarks on social media are few and far between. Good social customer service insights are an even rarer breed. We’ve compiled 14 of the most important just for you.

And…we’ve made it very easy. Below are 14 bite size highlights of the latest social media research. Better still, they are in 140 characters or less, so share those insights!

1)       80% of companies plan on using social media for customer service delivery by the end of 2012
Tweet to @iftweeter

2)      62% of consumers have already used social media for customer service issues with this number set to grow Tweet to @iftweeter

3)      79% of corporate accounts attempt to engage on Twitter with re-tweets and @-mentions
Tweet to @iftweeter


4)      70% of corporate Facebook pages respond to comments on their walls and timeline
Tweet to @iftweeter

5)      86% of consumers stated they love to be contacted by companies via Twitter
Tweet to @iftweeter

6)      64.9% of 55 and over year olds expect a company to read their tweet
Tweet to @iftweeter

7)      Only 38.4% of 18-24 year olds expect a company to read their tweet
Tweet to @iftweeter

8)      71% of customers have been ignored when making a complaint through twitter
Tweet to @iftweeter

9)   John Lewis are 32% faster than other brands at responding on twitter according to Brandwatch with a response time of 3 hr & 23 m
Tweet to @iftweeter

10)   36% of online respondents who interact with brands on the Internet do so to complain
Tweet to @iftweeter

11)   27% of UK adults online interact with brands on the Internet at least once a month
Tweet to @iftweeter

12)   44% of respondents who interact with brands on the Internet use online interactions to request information Tweet to @iftweeter

13)   26% of UK adults online share information about things they buy online
Tweet to @iftweeter

14)   19% of UK adults online discuss what they think about brands Tweet to @iftweeter

Does anything surprise you?

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This year more than ever, the issue of social customer service is front and centre in the minds of customer service leaders. Many major companies are left with more questions than answers on how to implement, strategise and budget. It’s a common question, but why should a company bother with social media customer service? It’s difficult to measure and prove the business case, plus in the current climate, who has the budget and resources? Well the following may just surprise you… (in a good way)

A well structured and thought out social customer service plan isn’t free, and to do it right requires investment and time. But get it right like Dell, and the rewards can be huge. They famously claimed to have made $6.5 million from engaging with their customers on Twitter alone. That’s nothing to be sniffed at… And when you consider that socially engaged customers spend on average 30% more with a brand, there is a huge carrot at the end of the seamlessly never ending stick. However getting those rewards is a long road and there WILL be bumps along the way.

Knowing when those bumps are coming and ensuring your social media vehicle has a suitable suspension is where the major wins are made. At first it will feel like you are opening Pandora’s box. But once you’re in there, you can influence and steer the conversation towards a resolution instead of another upset unanswered customer in a very public forum.

The maths make a compelling case; 58% of those who have tweeted about a bad experience have never received a response from the offending company. There’s a huge opportunity for your business to step in and gain influence. And it’s not just unanswered conversation, there’s also a huge financial implication. Social media users are willing to pay a 21% premium for brands that deliver great service through social media. What’s even more astounding is that 83% of social media users have not completed an intended purchase because of poor customer service and will inform 53 people of their decision compared to 17 people for those not active on social.

The underlying point here is that consumers expect you to be able to answer them in social media forums now more than ever. And going forward it’s a trend that’s set to continue. More alarming is that it’s not just your typical 16-24 year old group who are active in the social media space. Guess who’s expected to be the fastest growing group of social media users heading towards 2015? These guys…

Which means if your customer service team isn’t fully comfortable in the social media space, you will find yourself out of touch with the very customers you seek to help.

You can see and hear from our CEO Katy Howell on how to measure and prove value & organise your team’s resources amongst other things in person on the 12^th of September at the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park. She will be alongside: Warren Buckley, MD of Customer Service for BT Retail, Sean Canning, Executive VP of Customer Management at Firstsource and Graham Webster, Director of Customer Experience for Telefónica Europe.

If you can’t make it or are looking to implement social customer service or even just fancy some background reading, we’ve got a few answers to some of your major questions in our whitepaper. It’s focused on making the business case for social customer service. Within we discuss:

-  How you can start to make money from social customer service

-  How to differentiate yourself from the competition and gain competitive advantage

-  What makes up the right staff to maximize your social media presences effectively

-   The costs to your business and how to reduce the risk involved

Pick up your complementary analysis and insight at http://bit.ly/IFcustomerservice

Questions? Why not tweet us or follow us @IFtweeter, we talk social media 24/7.

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With an increasing number of consumers – and particularly those under the age of 25 –  expecting customer service through social media channels, brands have a new and highly visible opportunity to turn negative sentiment into public and positive advocacy.

Successful social customer service, however, treads a fine line; if the brand takes too long, or instead chooses not to respond, then what begins as an isolated incidence of negativity can quickly snowball.

Never is this truer than in the eye of a PR storm.

A recent example of this is Claire’s Accessories’ decision not to respond to fan accusations that the company has copied multiple jewelry designs from independent firm, Tatty Devine.

This is the second time that this type of allegation has been thrown at the brand – and the second time the brand has chosen not to engage with the large volume of fans addressing the issue on Twitter and Facebook, with a number of fans accusing the company of going as far as deleting their Wall posts.

As a result of widespread Twitter speculation the story has spilled over into highly visible online news sites; the search legacy of which will provide a subsequent impact in sentiment for the brand.

Similarly, supermarket chain, Tesco, also chose not to respond to online customer complaints, when the company withdrew its support for Gay Pride. User experience company, Webcredible, found that in the post-Christmas period, 66% of tweets surrounding the chain largely related to Gay Pride and were negative in sentiment.

While an explanation or apology might not fix the problem, it certainly goes some way towards showing the customer that a brand is not only listening, but learning from its mistakes.

If you would like to find out more about the way social media is reshaping the relationship between customers and brands, then immediate future MD, Katy Howell, is speaking at The Social Customer 2012 conference in London on March 29.

For details and to find out how to claim immediate future’s exclusive 10% discount contact info@immediatefuture.co.uk.

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We love this recent infographic from the guys Our Social Times. With more than 57% of consumers searching online to solve customer service issues, it’s an area that just can’t be ignored.

Consumers are increasingly turning to social to solve queries and resolve grievances

If you would like to find out more about the way social media is reshaping the relationship between customers and brands, then immediate future MD, Katy Howell, is speaking at The Social Customer 2012 conference in London tomorrow, 29 March 2012.

For further details and to find out how you can still claim immediate future’s exclusive 10% discount contact info@immediatefuture.co.uk.

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