Social media is now a part of customer service that is undeniable. Companies without a social media page where customers can reach them quickly and effectively are going to face an uphill battle when it comes to maintaining a loyal fan base. There are too many competitors that are on the right page.
Creating a thorough customer service base on social media, or adding an element of social interaction on your website isn’t as hard as it might sound.
These tools will empower your customer service efforts across multiple platforms.
Respond
For those who are building their most active customer service base on Twitter, Respond is a great option. Track all mentions, respond to DM’s straight from your inbox, and build an active and engaged community.
It basically puts everything in one place on a more intuitive dashboard than you would find on Twitter itself. It starts at $19 per month, and has a pro edition for $39. For those who are looking for a more customized experience, you can check out their custom plan. They do offer a seven day free trial, so it is worth checking out.
Ringostat
Not exactly a social-media focused tool, you’ll find this one a huge help. Ringostat is a call-tracking utility that helps you monitor your phone call conversions. One of its best parts is analytics reports: You’ll be able to see which days and time of day are most active for your (potential) customers. Now, chances are, these time slots coincide with when your customers are most active on social media, too!
Tweet, share and interact more actively based on these reports for more results!
Conversocial
Having multiple social platforms can be difficult to maintain for a business. The bustle and noise of each platform can make it even harder. Conversocial works by establishing patterns and generating more meaningful conversations across all networks.
It gives you the ability to cut through all the noise and really get the discussion going with your audience. This is a pricier tool, because it is more for enterprise use. If you have the budget for it, and you want something to really boost your social interactions, it is worth the money.
Sprout Social
Aimed at full social campaigns, including analytics, research and engagement, Sprout Social has been a popular option for a long time. Just as the name suggests, they are looking to make your brand grow in the social sphere. Part of that is improving customer support across social networks.
They operate as a full social media dashboard, with plans starting at $59 per month. Starting at $99 per month they have help desk integration, which most medium to large companies are going to find very helpful.
Lithium
Another tool for established companies, Lithium is an interesting application and service. It looks at your Total Community, the sum of all of your engagement and customer base.
They have both professional and enterprise versions to choose from, based on your size and needs. Prices are going to also depend on your needs, and they do cost on request.
Hootsuite
Everyone knows about Hootsuite at this point, don’t they? They are one of the most popular social media management dashboards around. It isn’t hard to see how it can improve your customer service on different social networks.
Monitoring for mentions, watching hashtags, searching for opportunities to reach out, communicating with followers and keeping a record… there is a lot to do.
There are additional add-ons you can incorporate to make it a more integrated and helpful tool. Their webinars are worth checking out to see the more obscure features you may not be aware of, and to learn to really take advantage of their analytics.
Buzzsumo Alerts
You knew this was going to be on the list… what list would be complete without it? Customer service goes beyond just responding to comments on a Facebook page. You have to look beyond it for mentions across the web.
Whether you are looking out for Yelp reviews, or seeing a review piece on a blog, you need to know when your brand is being spoken about. Then you can respond accordingly. Buzzsumo Alerts is an easy, free way to do that.
Nudgespot
You have probably noticed messaging apps on business sites lately. You go to the site, and a little box pops up in the corner from a customer service rep waiting to help you. This, to me, is the essence of social media customer service.
Sure, it isn’t on a third party platform. But it is even better, as it is right there on your site, ready to start a conversation. Nudgespot is available for teams to collaborate, and they have a free version to try before committing to one of their paid plans.
The Real Tool: Vigilance
Even if you didn’t use a single one of these tools (though why wouldn’t you?), there is one that makes all the difference in the world: vigilance. Remaining consistently on top of your customer interactions is a crucial element of being successful in your efforts.
I once helped a start-up where the founder would ignore social media pages, and even his help desk software, for months at a time. Customers became irate, and his start-up pretty much imploded. All because he wouldn’t stay on top of social and customer service, or hire someone who would.
Don’t make his mistake. These tools are key in maintaining your customer service team in a social media powered way.