One aspect of social media that makes many clients nervous is the degree to which their customer service issues will play out publicly. Of course, for most high-profile companies, online conversation about their brand will happen whether they launch and maintain a Facebook page or Twitter account.
A while back, I was asked to speak to the American Bankers Association on how to “create buzz” online and off. In preparing my remarks, I looked to see what bank brands were doing via social media. While many had launched both Facebook pages and Twitter feeds, it appeared as though their customers were more likely to follow them on Twitter. It makes sense: You may not want to profess your “like” for your bank on your Facebook page, but Twitter presents a great way to keep up to date on new services and address any customer service issues.
The other day, when my bank – @TDBank_US – Tweeted something that appeared in my feed, I realized that the people in my branch had yet to resolve an issue for me. I opened a savings account for my newborn son and they were supposed to connect it to my online banking profile. Rather than asking a third time in the branch (yes, I still go into the branch for my business transactions), I decided to send them a direct message on Twitter. Within a couple of minutes, they responded that I should call a particular toll-free number and to let them know when the issue was resolved.
When I called, the person who answered the phone told me I needed to start a brand new online banking profile in order to add the savings account. I agreed to this, but then realized after we hung up that I lost all my bill pay info in the transition. I sent another direct message via Twitter reflecting my disappointment and the person on Twitter duty asked if they could have someone call me. Within a few minutes of receiving my phone number, someone from customer service called me and resolved the problem immediately. Apparently, I didn’t need to start a new profile, after all. The representative was extremely apologetic that the first person I spoke to was misinformed, which led me to the assumption that TD Bank takes it social media strategy very seriously and even puts its best and brightest on the case when a problem arises via Twitter.
I didn’t take my issue public (although I guess I am now), but I see consumers do it all the time. It’s part of the transparent world in which we all do business now. Preserving your brand’s reputation is not about trying to obscure customer complaints. It’s about demonstrating that you’re listening and resolving problems.
Next time I have an issue with a company, Twitter will be my first stop.