Social Media Marketing for Business

Before the internet, telephones or the Pony Express, customer support was physically corresponded in person where body language could be observed and interpreted. This experience was personal and brought a sense of self-satisfaction to both parties. Relationships were easily built, and trust could be earned over time.

Fast forward to 2013: Communication methods are endless, yet customer support is, well, too often, substandard.

You know what I’m talking about; we’ve all been a victim.

The e-mail sent to a support department returns with an automated message of little-to-no help. You remember the toll-free 800 number that requires a wait on hold for 15 minutes, along with crappy music and communicating with robots.  When a rep finally gets on the phone, it turns out that support service is outsourced to who-knows-where, and they barely speak broken English. This shows where the company’s motivation and mindset truly lie.

Savvy, success-driven companies in this “information age” take customer support very seriously. They are staffed with personable, friendly people who let dedication to clients shine via toll-free numbers, online chats and e-mail systems which are all available on mobile devices for easy access.

The contemporary company understands and uses the power of Facebook to its advantage to provide support with occasional special, private groups for customers only.  Many customers become friends with one another, creating an authentic community of your users and customers . Exceptional customer support and state-of-the-art software shows that a company truly cares for its customers and wants them to enjoy success with a product or service.

Strong customer support can be a major factor in how long a customer will stick with a business. The most important strategy to retaining customers is simply making sure that there IS a dedicated person available to listen, evaluate and solve problems.

Companies which outsource or do not care to be timely and efficient with their support should probably examine their visions for success.

Personal, readily-available, competent, knowledgeable customer support staffs show that a company cares for the people paying for a product or service. Poor client satisfaction and lousy customer service can kill a company, even one with great products or services.

Like the great Henry Ford put it: “It is not the employer who pays the wages. Employers only handle the money. It is the customer who pays the wages.”

Meet Wesley Brandi

Wesley Brandi is the Customer Support Manager at Heyo where he takes pride in providing clients with top-notch service. A Roanoke, VA native and New York Giant fan, Wes also substitute teaches in the Roanoke City Public School System. Connect with him on LinkedIn