By Bob Speyer and Alison Brown – Web Success Team

Due to the “instant” attribute of Twitter updates, many businesses are using this platform to improve customer service and manage their online reputation since inquiries can be responded to immediately. By opening communication channels, Twitter can assist small businesses in maintaining positive relationships with clients while also promoting your brand.

Twitter is revolutionizing the way that information is transmitted. It can be used for getting real-time updates about everything from natural disasters to celebrity gossip. It’s an open forum for the public to discuss what’s on their mind, and because you can tag certain people or companies in your “tweet,” your opinion is made visible to thousands of people.

Keeping Communication Open
If you allow customers to contact you via Twitter, you can reinforce the quality of your brand by always being the first one to share updates and information about your business. Branding is imperative for the success of any business, and this way, you are allowing people to see the quality of the information you share, thereby also showing them the quality of your company. By keeping communication open, you can also boost your online presence by circulating your company’s name so that you can get more potential client interest.

Barking Dogs Get Fed First
Twitter can also be a great tool in assisting with damage control. If someone decides to complain about your company, you can see their comment right away and respond to it immediately. For instance, the popular airline company, JetBlue, uses Twitter primarily for customer service management. If a customer tags them in a post that says something negative, they usually respond to the inquiry right away and other people can see how JetBlue dealt with the issue by viewing their page. Another personal example of Twitter assisting customer relations is we had a really difficult time trying to reach AT&T. We used Twitter to tag them in the post, and they called us immediately. If we hadn’t used Twitter to share our frustrating experience, we may have never gotten through.

Relevance and Trust Are Key
Twitter can be useful for posting information or news relating to your industry. It can also be useful for maintaining open dialogues with clients by allowing them to interact with you directly. If people are constantly receiving pertinent and interesting information from your tweets, the more likely they are to share the news with others.

Using Twitter is also a great way to build trust in your company by showing them that you are concerned about their grievances. According to an article written in June, Research: Use of Twitter in Customer Service Increasing, “Users indicated that more responsive brands would benefit from greater loyalty and purchasing. Almost 60% of respondents said they would be more likely to follow a brand that answered them, and 64% said they would be more likely to make a purchase from that brand.” The more you can publicly show customers that you are responding to their needs, the more likely they will be to choose your company over your competitors.

What Would You Do with an Extra 45 Minutes?
Companies have figured out that Twitter provides the opportunity to listen to what customers are saying about their brands, and to respond. Still, it’s not easy for a corporation to strike the right tone on Twitter. Some brands on Twitter seem too formal and stilted while others seem interested in using it only as a one-way PR channel. While the potential of customer service relations via Twitter is promising, until companies find the right balance, most of us will still have to call that dreadful 1-800 number to get what we want. Perhaps one day, we will no longer have to waste 45 minutes on hold to talk to someone. Just imagine what the world would be like if we all had an extra 45 minutes…

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