Set Yourself Up for Customer Service Success!
Instagram is not just a platform to promote your goods and services. If your audience likes what they see, they will want to CONTACT you directly on IG. Long gone are the days when the only way to contact a company was strictly picking up the phone and calling an 800 number. Is your company ready to adapt?
In this day and age, everyone wants access to information...well, yesterday! The fact is many people don’t want to wait on hold on the phone to get the answer they are looking for. If they have to work too hard to get the information, they may just move on to the next organization that has the information presented to them quicker. They want easy access right at their fingertips. And we’re here to help you provide that!
No matter what industry you are in, this will always be useful for your consumers! Providing top-notch customer service is absolutely vital to the success of your organization. You provide value to your customers by showing them you appreciate their business, which in time builds trust and a loyal following.
Let’s go over a few practices you can put in place today to ensure your audience receives the customer service on Instagram they not only want but deserve.
First….
Ensure you have an IG business profile.
Enable Instagram action buttons and put your link in the bio.
Work on highlights, FAQs.
Business Profile:
If you've been with us long enough, this should be a given, but if you're new here, we'll let it slide! :) Ensure you have a Business Profile! This not only gives you access to Analytics and Business Insights, but it provides the tools you need for success online! This will provide you with a "Contact" button!
Enable Instagram Action Buttons:
These will show up at the top of your page. You can choose from several different options including Directions, Call, Email, Book, Reserve, etc. Choose which ones relate to your business and go from there.
Link in Bio:
Always, always include your website! You can also include any CTA for people to set up a phone consultation or appt, etc. For example, you can also add to your bio, “DM for customer service inquiries!” or "DM to book your free consultation!"
Highlighted FAQs:
Add all of your FAQs to a highlight so people can easily refer back to it. These can be from any polls you did, Q&A sessions, or if you’re just talking about how the process works on your story. These can go in different directions depending on if you are providing a service or selling goods. If you’re in the physical fitness industry selling training sessions, what does the initial screening process look like? Walk them through the steps. What will it be like to work with you? How do you get from A to Z? Help them visualize it! If you're selling products, what are some typical questions your clients will ask? We feel the most important thing to consider here is don't assume your audience knows everything. You have to get into their heads and answer any possible question. You're the pro, so common industry knowledge to you is not the same for them. Think about adding in some frequently mentioned industry terms to help them better understand your content. Be considerate of that and you will be golden!
Using Instagram for customer service…
Create your set customer service responses.
Know that time is of the essence.
Know when to take it offline.
Once your page is looking good, now we're ready to progress to the next step...
Have Set Customer Service Responses:
If you have multiple people working on customer service (or even just one) it is especially important to set up templates and guidelines with set responses. No, we're not saying you need to be a robot with no personality, but we are saying that your team needs to be on the same page when interacting with a client. Remember, you have to adhere to the voice of the brand! This can be accomplished in Settings>Business>Quick Replies. Then, click on the plus sign to add more! (If you need more in-depth information on this, let us know!)
Time is of the Essence:
If your page receives any comments, DMs, questions, interest, basically ANYTHING: Studies show the majority of users expect a response within 24 hours, but if you can respond back quicker - even better! Organizations that respond back in a timely manner are the ones who stay at the top of the mind of the consumer. Chances are if you're selling a service and you took 5 days to respond, it's probable they've moved on. And if they haven't moved on, you now have more competition because they've been looking at alternative companies in the last 5 days. Slacking on resolving an issue with a customer you sold a product to? With that many days gone by, now it looks like you're not a priority to them. Why would they want to become a repeat customer? Makes sense, right?
Know When to Take it Offline:
If there’s ever an issue that needs to be taken to the next level, it’s probably best to move it privately instead of going back and forth on social media. This can be especially important if you need to look up detailed information for a customer and require their email address. You could simply say, “DM me with your email address/order # and I will look into this for you right away!” Also, if an issue escalates on social media, you also don't want it on blast for everyone to see you go back and forth. It's good for your audience to see you are responsive, but if there is something that needs to be taken care of, be swift to address it privately.
That's it for this week! If there's anything specific YOU want to ask us, write to us! We just may feature you in our next newsletter!
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