Some companies are responsive…others, not so much.
Getting the best, fastest help over social media is part art and part science.
Those things work well enough.
Use all social platforms, it’s okay.
In short, many of the same rules that applyto other avenues of customer serviceapply here as well.
Be prepared to take the conversation to direct messages or email.
It looks like they’re doing damage control, even if someone is just asking a routine question.
Also, Wallace explained, if you’re not getting answers on one data pipe, try another.
Head to Google+, or Instagram.
Can anyone help me?"
attempt to make your tweet or Facebook message as informative as possible.
Don’t waste characters on snark.
It may be tempting to vent, but every character counts, and brevity is as important as completeness.
Plus the banter that can result is awesome.
For anything substantive, reach out directly.
Also, your tone and approach are really important.
Be nice, be firm, and don’t give up.
Social Media people are weird, and usually introverted, but are empathetic as all hell.
In other words, save the hashtags and subtweets.
Stick to the facts, and explain what you need.
Remember,you don’t get shit you don’t ask for.
First, you may discover the solution to your problem in someone else’s conversation.
Second, it gives you an idea whether or not the company actually responds to people.
It’s surprising how many people don’t actually do thisI see people tweeting at accounts that never reply.
Check to see if the company is engaged with their community.
If they are, go for it.
Take the size and character of the company into account as well.
The small company was definitely more hands on in regards to how we handled social media.
I had the helm of the various accounts without an intermediary or layers of vetting.
That extended to full refunds, replacements, free loot, what have you.
I did it all, and I had massive amounts of fun interacting with everyone to boot.
The larger company I worked for was way different.
My replies mostly consisted of asking the customers to contact us with more details via our established CS system.
While this was a bit sterile, I understood why it was in place.
Keep that in mind when you’re waiting for a response.
Other large companies have a small team that relies on apps to funnel in service requests.
In fact, some companies don’t pay attention to anything but direct contact.
It can easily backfire on you if you’re actually trying to get help with your problem.
If you’re trying to get banned, blocked, or muted, well then, go for it.
Best case, you’ll get a form apology and be directed to their normal customer service line.
It’s not the same as talking to a call center rep on the phone.
If you’re worried about the timeframe, ask them when they’ll get back to you.
Other times, your issue may require real digging, especially if there’s history to it.
(Makes Mondays fun!)
The best times to contact a company are mid-morning and late afternoon, too.
You’ll miss out on the peak call/email arrival times then.
It’s important to note that not all companieseven huge onesmonitor their social feeds 24/7.
She explained:
The best thing to do?
Find the official CS channels first and toss the company a line about whatever crap situation you’re in.
We’ll find that official CS contact and get the ball rolling.
We want to help you, but we need to find you first.
I’m looking at you, John Smith with a common problem.
Social media can be a fast, powerful way to get your problems resolved.
Not every company is like that though, and getting help from them takes a little more work.
you could find her on Twitter as@GenusCorvidae.
She offered her expertise for this article, and we thank her.
Title image byTina Mailhot-Roberge.
