As a CRM Manager, it is your job to protect your company’s relationship with its customers. This means anticipating problems as well as effectively dealing with them when they do arise (which, inevitably, they will.) One of the best ways to do this is through social media. In this post we will discuss four reasons...
As a CRM Manager, it is your job to protect your company’s relationship with its customers.
This means anticipating problems as well as effectively dealing with them when they do arise (which, inevitably, they will.)
One of the best ways to do this is through social media. In this post we will discuss four reasons why social media is a must-have tool for any CRM Manager.
#1 It allows for real time communication and access
In today’s instant world, customers have begun to expect to be able to constantly connect with their favorite brands.
While many companies fill this need by providing 24 hour a day, 7 day a week customer service, another (cheaper) way to be constantly available for your customers is through social media.
Many companies have social media accounts, specifically Twitter and to a lesser extent Facebook, that are available to respond to complaints, praise, and questions from customers.
It is common nowadays for customers to “tag” companies in order to alert them of a concern.
Companies can respond back using social media and address customer questions quickly, efficiently, and at all times of the day.
Upwork is an example of a company who does a great job of using Twitter to respond to customer concerns and keep them updated about any technical issues.
Above, you can see screenshots of an Upwork user having their questions responded to by Upwork’s “help” account regarding a technical issue.
Below are examples of Upwork’s technical issues updates that they often provide on their “help” Twitter account.
Facebook is another way customers can get in touch with their favorite brands, and being a responsive company definitely pays off.
Facebook even goes so far as to note on your Facebook page how quickly you typically respond to messages, making it add to your feeling of legitimacy as a company if you respond quickly.
#2 It shows you who your customers are
Another great thing about social media is that it gives a very comprehensive and complete view of a customer.
When you view your customers accounts on social media you are able to see what kind of person they are not just as consumer but as a dynamic, emotional, motivated person.
What language do your customers use to communicate? What are their family lives like? What do they do for a living? What other brands do they like?
All of these are essential questions you must know in order to be a successful CRM manager, and they are all questions that can be answered with social media.
#3 It’s a great place for customer reviews
If you establish a strong social media presence, you can take advantage of customer review options that are available on Facebook, and less official versions available on Twitter and Instagram.
When you create a Facebook page for your company, customers can actually go to your page and provide a review for your business along with feedback.
Having this quick and easy review system is a way to gain good word-of-mouth promotion for your brand because you have real customers providing their good reviews for other visitors to see publicly.
If you have any doubt if reviews are good for your business, consider this: According to a 2012 Local Consumer Review Survey, 74% of consumers say that positive reviews make them trust a local business more.
Not only that, but 74% of consumers rely on social media to inform their purchasing decisions.
#4 It helps you find free marketing opportunities
One of the most useful parts of using social media as a CRM manager is that it allows you to spot the people who go out of their way to comment about, review, or follow your company.
When there are customers who make an effort to tag your company in one of their posts or write a really awesome review about one of your products, it is important to take note of these people and cultivate a relationship with them, because they are potential brand ambassadors.
Brand ambassadors can be one of your marketing departments greatest assets, not just because they provide essentially free advertising, but also because consumers are so much more likely to trust peer recommendations and reviews than paid advertisements.
Having brand ambassadors speak about your brand on social media is a great way to build trust with your base and a legitimate brand.
However, in order to have this happen, you first need to find these brand ambassadors, and being aware of mentions and tags on social media is a great way to start this process (another great way to find brand ambassadors is through NPS surveys, which we discuss in another post.)
No matter what image you want to set forth as a CRM manager, being on social media is absolutely essential. If you work to build an active, responsive, fun presence on social media, you will undoubtedly find important connections and opportunities.
