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Social Media and Customer Relationship Management

As more and more businesses put social media to work to advertise their product and services, the question then becomes, how should social media be utilized to engage the customer outside of simple advertising?

According to a 2010 CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,500 employers and 4,400 workers, 35 percent of companies have been using social media to promote their company in some manner.

For starters, using social media to engage with customers is known as social CRM, meaning one uses social media as part of customer relationship management.

As a company, you want to give a face to your online business and do it in the least expensive manner. When you use social media, you not only avoid costly advertising campaigns, but you also stand to reach more individuals than you would with email blasts and major mailing efforts.

Advantages of Social Media

To take advantage of social media for your company, there are several areas to zero in on. Among them are:

Monitoring social media sites – Some companies employ an individual or individuals to oversee various sites to locate where the company is being mentioned, be it good or bad. By doing this, your company can better manage its brand and avert any disasters that can come with negative publicity;
One-on-one – Social media also allows for your customer service reps to engage with customers one-on-one, helping them with any issues they may have. This also allows your team the opportunity to provide a quick response in dealing online with a customer as opposed to over the phone or through regular mail;
Promotional opportunities – Given the speed of the Internet, social media gives your company the ability to quickly promote different aspects of your business. Whether it is discounts, promotions, new product announcements, you can quickly spread the word.

Work Your Social Media Opportunities

In order to best utilize the opportunities that come with social media, take some things to heart. Among them are:

Be attentive – It is important as a company to be up to speed with all conversations involving your business. One area companies at times fail to do is monitor information during “non-working hours” that can come back to haunt them. Remember, individuals have access to the Internet in many cases 24/7, so you need to be alert to the negative post regarding your company that may hit the web at 3 a.m. on a Sunday;
Deal with complaints professionally – All companies receive complaints at one time or another. It is how those companies handle the complaint that is most important. Do not put the complaint on the backburner and say that you will get to it later, rather deal with it as soon as possible and you may even be able to win back that customer;
Educate your customers – While social media is one avenue to try and promote your products and services, it is also important to educate your customers. Take advantage of this networking tool to provide quality information to your current and potential customers regarding the services you provide. If you are in the restaurant business for example, use social media to educate your customers on healthy eating habits, etc. By doing so, some individuals will come to recognize you as a leading source on such information, driving more traffic your way.

By taking advantage of the numerous opportunities that social media offers, your business can increase its traffic and stand out as a social leader in your industry.

Photo credit: frogameni.com

Dave Thomas is an expert writer on items like credit card processing companies and is based in San Diego, California. He writes extensively for an online resource that provides expert advice on merchant services for small business owners and entrepreneurs at Resource Nation.