Customer service, 140 characters at a time
By Mike Moran. Filed in Social Media Marketing |Tags: Business, customer service, marketing, Online Communities, Select Comfort, social networking, twitter
Image by Eddie~S via Flickr
It’s no secret that companies are using Twitter for marketing, but are you monitoring tweets for customer service? Last week, I ran into a striking reminder that companies are increasingly taking Twitter seriously, even when I am joking. Let me explain what happened last week when I slept in a Select Comfort Sleep Number bed and tweeted about my experience the next morning. If you aren’t yet using Twitter for customer service, perhaps this experience I had might give you ideas for how to the make the most of Twitter.
I was traveling on business (as usual) and stayed in a nicer hotel than I normally do, which happened to feature a Select Comfort Sleep Number Bed. I have back problems, so that should have been welcome, but I was also tired because I got to the hotel quite late, so that meant I wasn’t about to adjust the defaults on my bed—whatever it was set to is what I slept in.
So, you probably guessed what happened next: I woke up the next day with my back really bothering me. I was feeling a bit snarky, so my tweet that morning was, “When you wake up with a bad back after a night in a hotel, blame the hotel bed. But this hotel has a sleep number bed, so is it my fault?”
I wasn’t trying to complain about the bed, honestly. You should see how often I wake up a bit creaky, even when sleeping in my own bed at home. It just struck me as a bit funny, so I tweeted it. And I thought nothing of it until I got this reply from @SleepNumberHelp: “@MikeMoran Hi, I work with SC and I’m sorry you had trouble with the Sleep # bed! You might need a different Sleep #. http://bit.ly/cgB7x4″ (and I got that reply not very long after my original tweet, too).
Clearly, my buddies at Select Comfort are actively monitoring any tweets that include keywords such as. “sleep number bed.” They honestly seemed interested in helping me. And, I have to admit, for the first time ever, I am wondering if there might be something to this sleep number thing. If Select Comfort can get this kind of reaction from me, when all I did was toss out a laugh line, how much more do they think it would help if they reached out to those who are serious about their complaints?
Ask yourself what would happen if one of your customers tweeted some dissatisfaction. Would someone of your team find that tweet quickly and ensure that it was responded to? Or would the twitterer get radio silence form your company? If your customer service people don’t monitor Twitter the same way they answer the phone or check e-mail, you’re missing a great opportunity to differentiate your brand from the others.
Tuesday, May 25th 2010 at 1:30 pm |
This is the kind of service that defines a company. Companies that bend over backwards and seek out customer comments and respond tend to build customer loyalty in spades.
Tuesday, May 25th 2010 at 5:56 pm |
It is very important because Twitter is usually a thought unedited and honest. We monitor the online world for any feedback, positive or negative and then act.
Thursday, May 27th 2010 at 3:43 pm |
Twitter is an incredible tool. As another social networking site, I find that Twitter reveals people’s most honest opinions and if a company uses their account right, they can be as proactive about customer complaints as Sleep Country!
I also think that being able to respond to your customer and their issues through Twitter is a great way to establish a more personal relationship with them. Maintaining contact through an informal network like Twitter is also a sure way to develop a long-term relationship.
Thursday, May 27th 2010 at 3:49 pm |
Totally agree, CorieCRM. It can be hard to listen to the unvarnished truth sometimes, but if you can respond with the right attitude, it can make an enormous difference.
Thursday, June 3rd 2010 at 8:19 am |
Twitter is one of the most powerful tools for marketing and socializing as well. I can say it is the best SNS nowadays.
Monday, June 7th 2010 at 4:42 am |
im not really into twitter but my friends are updated about it so i guess its a more powerful tool especially for marketing
Thursday, August 12th 2010 at 11:27 am |
I found the customer service to be really bad as of yesterday. You see I bought a I 10 bed back in Feb. And due to where I am living right now I have not even set it up yet but plan on moving soon. So I went to the store to bye the legs to the bed and a mattress pad. I saw that there was a sale on down comforters and so I talked to the sales women an told her that I had Q sized bed but I wanted one that would hang over the edge like a bed spread the? Being should I get a Q sized or a K sized. I went with the king picked out the type of fill ect. I get the comforter in the mail as it had to be ordered and I think to my self how did they get a king in a bag that small. They did not, I had 1/2 of the insert. The sales lady did nor know what she was selling me, and there for did not know I needed 2 inserts. That would have made it way more then I would have payed for it. So I call the customer service and am told all they can do is give me store credit. I explane that there is nothing elce I want. That what I really want is the other 1/2 I need at the price I was led to belive it was or at a big discount. I get out on hold and hung up on, now I know my # is on file so I wait for a call back, then I call back only to talk to another woman who I tell that o would like to talk to the woman I was ready talking to but she will not put me through. Even after I said that I would hold for her. She says that the noats are good and she will fix it. They finely said they would send me shiping
lables and after I sent it back I would get my money back. This is no what I wanted after I have spent over $4000.00 with them they can’t send me the $77.00 other 1/2 or at least say we can give you it at another %50 off. I left a email for them letting them know how on happy I was and that I will never spend another dime with them unless I get the other 1/2 like I was led to belive I was getting when I bought it. I got a email back saying it would take up to 3 days for someone to even read it ( must be a lot of very unhappy people out there. When I get my money back I am going to spend like $400.00 on beding at The Compony Store. Money I could have very well spent with them. I also plan on sharing this story everywhere as I told them I would. They just said they were sorry I felt that way. It really is to bad that it is to late to send them the Ned back because at this point I going to think of this every time I sleep in the /}%##..thing.
Thursday, August 12th 2010 at 6:58 pm |
Ok I just wanted to updait you on the poor customer service. This was the reply I got from e- mail.
Thank you for contacting Select Comfort. I’m very sorry for the inconvenience.
As I was reviewing your file, I did see that you have already spoken to one of our Customer Service Representatives over the phone. It looks as if they were able to address your concerns. Again, I apologize for any difficulty you had with our product and thank you for your patience.
If you should have any questions or concerns in the future, please feel free to contact us. Our phone number is listed below. Thank you for choosing the Sleep Number bed.
Sincerely,
Stephanie S. | CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE
My SLEEP NUMBER® setting is 45. What is yours?