How Social Media is Changing Customer Engagement – Maddie Davis

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The value of customer experience continues to grow as we all become more connected. The amount of interactions an individual can have with a brand continues to increase due to the growth of the internet and social media. Dan Gingiss, an author and podcaster who specializes in customer interaction in the digital age, defines customer experience as – how people feel about every interaction they have with a company.

The major difference between our time now and any other is that these interactions are no longer offline. In the past, when something happened offline, it stayed offline. Today, even if a discussion or issue is resolved face-to-face, the outcome and process can be displayed to the world instantly.  Why does this matter? Getting it right will help you grow and bring in new customers. 60% of satisfied customers are more likely to promote a brand. This leads to new customers and strengthens loyalty among current customers.

More importantly, 70% of detractors are more likely to tell others about their negative experience. Also, the negative feedback is more likely to be shared on social media and review sites. Social media is the preferred method of complaint. If you’re happy, you tell the people around you. If you’re angry, you want to tell the world.  It’s hard to know how large of an audience any individual has when they are interacting with a brand, so it is more important than ever that every interaction with every individual is a positive one.

Importance of Mobile & Social

More so than ever, customers are interacting with brands on mobile devices and through social media. According to comScore, 65% of all digital media time is spent on mobile. By the end of 2018, customers will be making more purchases on phones, than any other device. We are mobile first consumers so brands need to be able to stand out from their competitors in customer experience and engagement on social media. The same device allows potential clients to purchase from, and review a brand instantly.

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There is another side to this coin that all brands need to be aware of – Not only does social media allow for interactions with customers, it allows brands to listen to them. Employees of a company can use social to their advantage by following customers on social media. Getting a glimpse of what is happening from the customer’s point of view can provide a wealth of insight and data that would be hard to get anywhere else. Brands can see challenges and obstacles customers have to go through and what it’s like for them to be a customer of your company.

What Social Media enables

Social media allows brands to do so much more than they were previously capable off. Perhaps most importantly, brands have the ability to take on genuine personalities and be transparent with their customer base. Elsie Maio, CEO of Humanity Inc and Soulbranding℠ expert, said:

“It comes down to companies living their human values. These same human values resonate with their customers…Leaders use the power of social media to surface those shared values and engage customers.”

Many brands have caught on to the social trend and are taking it very seriously. LIDS built a social media command centre, which includes eight 55-inch flat screen TVs that monitor the company’s social traffic and insights.

LIDS social media command centre

They are able to see and examine customer sentiment in real time. They can respond to complaints or industry news right away. A recent Harvard Business Review Analytic Services Survey found that companies that fully integrate social media and customer experience offer superior customer experiences than competitors do. This translates into growth and greater control of their markets.

It’s also important to understand what social media is not. It is not the place to have transactional conversations. Customers won’t share credit card information on a Facebook wall or Twitter feed, so there isn’t a reason to speak to them in that capacity. As a brand, this means you’ve got to be able to direct potential customers from those platforms to different channels in order to answer questions or resolve issues. 

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Instead of focusing on sales and moving on from one customer to the next as quickly as possible, the most effective companies take time to nurture each relationship and work with consumers until they are satisfied. Social media has changed the game when it comes to engaging with customers. Interactions and reactions are instant, and public. Every customer interaction should be executed as if it’s in front of an audience. Even if the conversation is offline, it could be online before you know it.

Companies who invest the time and technology to get ahead of their competitors in this space will find themselves better positioned to build loyal customer bases and into the future.

Maddie Davis is a co-founder of Enlightened Digital and tech-obsessed female from the Big Apple. She lives by building and redesigning websites, running marathons, and reading anything and everything on the NYT Best Sellers list.

Kelechi Okeke
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