How to start a customer service operation in social media - Scup Ebook

SOCIAL CUSTOMER SERVICE

HOW TO START A

CUSTOMER SERVICE

OPERATION IN

SOCIAL MEDIA

From planning to

implementation: what you

really need to know about

social customer service to

interact more efficiently in

social media

A Scup publication

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HOW TO START A CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATION IN SOCIAL MEDIA 2

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Starting point

We all know that companies are concerned about customer service in social media. But how should they implement a social customer service operation? How can they interact efficiently with people? How can they monitor what is being said about their brand without

the risk of not capturing a mention? How should they manage crises? This eBook aims to answer these questions. We hope you enjoy reading it and that it helps you to better understand the fundamentals that underpin social media.

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What’s in it for me?

If you want to implement a customer service operation in social media and do not know where to start, this book is for you. This eBook will help you plan, implement and manage your social customer service operation. Once you have read it, you will be in a position to make

your customer service more social.






























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About the author

Marcelo Salgado is the social media manager at Bradesco, Brazil's second largest private bank. He holds an undergraduate degree in Literature from FFLCH-USP and a Master’s in Social Media Communication from FAAP. He built and manages the team that manages the @AloBradesco Twitter

profile - the first profile of a Brazilian bank to perform customer service via social media.

Get in touch with Marcelo! Twitter: @marcelosalgado Facebook: Facebook.com/marcelosal

























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Content

The fundamentals of social customer service ..............................6

How to plan a social customer service operation ........................ 9

How to implement a social customer service operation ............ 19

How to manage a social media crisis ......................................... 24

How to manage a social customer service operation ................ 26

Conclusion ................................................................................. 28

Hints and Tips ............................................................................ 30

Next steps... ............................................................................... 31


























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Chapter 1 | Fundamentals

“Positioning a company in social media requires the capacity to understand people”

................................................

There was a time when companies used to “broadcast” information to consumers, delivering just the messages that put them in the best light. Communication channels were limited to phone calls, letters and maybe an email. Since there was not much opportunity for a two-way conversation it took a major crisis for customers to hear about it and for it to cause any problems.

In the mid-1980s, customer service centers started to appear,

which allowed companies to create a connection with many

customers on a one-to-one basis. Over the years regulation was

introduced to ensure the quality of customer service.

However, when social media burst onto the scene and

organizations realized it could be used to handle customer

service issues in real time, there were no rules or best practices

to guide them. Some organizations simply used their existing

customer service processes to regulate social customer service. If

used well, traditional policies are very helpful. However, they






























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need to be adapted to account for the process of human

interaction and hyper connectivity that are hallmarks of social

media.

Here are some guidelines to help you put an effective social

customer service program in place.

Guideline 1: Social media is not customer service

Traditional customer service is typically very

mechanical -- a customer service representative spends

his or her day reading scripts. This is not what the

“connected” client expects of companies in a social media

setting. The customer expects a more human “voice”. Social

media creates connections between people and is too much of

a multidisciplinary universe to be reduced just to customer

service and advertising. Positioning a company in social media

mainly requires an ability to understand people.

Guideline 2: Social customer service must be

efficient and fast

In the past when the only way to communicate with

companies was to send a letter, people were mentally

prepared to wait for the response. When call centers

were created, the willingness to wait for a response decreased.

Contact was faster and more direct. However, we were still

prepared to wait. Today, we are used to a world that is

extremely connected with no barriers and as a result we want

an immediate response. It is clear that one media does not

replace another and the time we are willing to wait for each


































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one of communication to another is still different, but when it

comes to social media, the response must be quick and

efficient.


























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Chapter 2 | Planning

“A customer service department needs

freedom within a company”

...................................................................................................

Before you start planning your social customer service strategy

it is important to do some research and analysis. First take a

close look at the following four points:

Where do your customers congregate?

What is being said?

How much is being said?

When is it being said?






























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Where, what, how and when there are conversations, questions

and comments about your company will define which social

media platforms to monitor, how (and whether) to interact,

what tools to use, and what times of day your customers are

active. The latter will establish if your team needs to work

around the clock or not. While doing this analysis, the amount of

work and investment required will become clear. Each line of

business has its needs just as each company has its own DNA and

these must be taken into account at this time.

1. Physical Structure and Hierarchy

Take note! THE CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM NEEDS TO HAVE THE

COMPANY CULTURE IN ITS DNA, UNDERSTANDING OF SOCIAL

MEDIA, MATURITY AND, MOST OF ALL, GOOD WRITING SKILLS

In many businesses, especially those dedicated to services, it

makes sense that the social media relationship should be around

the clock. If that is the case, for shifts to run smoothly, you will

need approximately 16 workers on 6-hour shifts or 12 workers

on 8- hour shifts. This is because you will need at least two

people working together at peak periods, which creates an

actual need for four available people (considering the fact that

one may be off duty due to weekend shift and another one on

lunch break). Furthermore, you will need at least one worker for

the quieter hours. Add to this calculation weekend shifts and

respective days off, and you will arrive at the minimum amount

of people required.



























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If there are times when there is no activity among your customer

base you will not need coverage. This will all depend on your

preliminary analysis, especially the analysis of what and how

much should be communicated. If a mention during the early

hours of the morning is unusual, you can decide not to have a

person working this shift. If on the other hand it is too critical to

risk not responding to a mention, it should be taken into

consideration. In short: make sure your brand won’t be harmed

by decisions you make regarding staffing and shifts.

Many social customer service groups started with one or two

workers and grew over time. This is another more organic way to

start and is certainly an option, depending on your situation.

These days a lot of customer service is outsourced. Companies

large and small have tested this model. Some companies

outsource to their customer service provider, others to their

advertising agency. We do not recommend this. This e-book aims

to deliver the best social customer service practices so we

recommend an internal structure over an outsourced service.

Your team must have the corporate culture in its DNA. We

recommend recruiting workers who are knowledgeable about






























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social networks, mature, know how to provide quality customer

service and, above all, who have good writing skills. However we

recognize that this 100% internal model is also the most

expensive so think it through carefully and find the model that

works best for your business. Just be sure you can be certain of

quality interaction with your customers.

Regardless of whether you decide to build your own department

or outsource we recommend that you employ a good social

media agency, at least at the outset. It is important to get up to

speed on how to incorporate social media into your customer

service strategy before fully engaging with customers.

The choice of who will lead this group is also important. The

manager should be deeply specialized in social media. He or she

must set guidelines, suggest action plans and keep the team

updated on market trends.

And, since customer service involves relationships, this

department must be connected to the other groups in your

company that will be called upon to provide information to your

customers, such as product management. It is important to put

processes in place that will give you easy access to all

departments of the organization.


























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2. Define the team’s “freedom of speech”

Take note! THE CUSTOMER SERVICE

TEAM NEEDS FREEDOM IN THE WAY

THEY RESPOND TO CUSTOMERS.

HOWEVER, THIS DOES NOT EXCLUDE

SCRIPTS IN SPECIFIC SITUATIONS

It is not practical to approve every tweet posted in a social

customer service department. Therefore, your team must have

the freedom to create responses and the company’s trust to do

so. Remember that, in telephone customer service centers,

workers (including outsourced ones) have the power to

improvise on behalf of the company multiple times a day.

On the other hand it is important to establish written guidelines,

be they casual or more formal depending on your company

brand. Such guidelines help the team understand the most

appropriate way to handle different situations and also assure

company management that there is some order within the

normal and expected chaos of social networking.






























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3. Map internal workflows and define your main

contacts

Take note! THE MANAGER OF A SOCIAL CUSTOMER SERVICE

TEAM NEEDS TO SHOW THE WAY AND BE AWARE OF TRENDS

Responding to customers, prospects and others in social

networks demands speed and attention so it is necessary to talk

to the relevant managers in your company and elect one person

to be the main contact for his or her area of responsibility. These

contacts will need to quickly respond to requests so it is

important that this person is fully committed to timeliness

regardless of the hour or the day.

Social networks are just one way to interact with your

customers. Although these channels demands faster responses

when compared with the telephone for example, the quality of

your responses must be standard across the board. Your

customer is unique. This is how he or she feels in this hyper-

connected world, and that is how you should treat him or her,

regardless of the communication channel used.

4. Define tool(s), metric(s) and report types

Take note! IT IS IMPERATIVE TO HAVE A TOOL THAT GROUPS

THE HISTORY OF A TEAM'S INTERACTIONS WITH CUSTOMERS

It is now time to select a social media monitoring tool and any

other tools you will need to use to achieve your goals. When



























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doing so, remember that you will need to create a database and

integrate it with your customer relationship management (CRM)

solution in the future. Creating such a database is fundamental

so you can keep track of who you have talked to and what you’ve

said. Otherwise you risk asking someone you have been

interacting with for a couple of days “how may I help?”

Define what types of data you will

report on and how often. The

preliminary analysis you made will

help guide you but it is crucial that

company management participate

in this step.

When we talk about social

customer service, one of the most

serious mistakes we have seen is related to measurement and

which indicators will be used to verify its success. Sentiment

(negative, neutral, positive) is, in many cases, less important than

response volume and type (complaint, suggestion, compliment,

question, etc). We are not recommending any best practices

here because each company, even in the same industry, has

different considerations. However here are some suggestions

that you can consider for your particular situation.

Reports focused on product/problem: Maps the impact of

mentions and complaints about each of the company’s products

or services. For this to work, the social media manager must

correctly classify mentions throughout the day.






























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Reports focused on sentiment: Demonstrates how many

negative, positive or neutral mentions there were about the

company. This method requires good training and regular

classification throughout the day, as well as an accurate analysis

of the context of each mention, so as to not generate false

negatives.

Reports focused on highlights: Used to highlight information in

social media that allows a company to learn about the customer

or anticipate a future crisis or demand.

Specific reports: Every now and then, negative news will impact

your business such as system crashes, a crisis caused by a

negative post from an influential customer, etc. In these cases,

you need to demonstrate the extent of the problem internally and

thoroughly map the reasons that led to it. Keep a report template

on hand so you can pull together information that will be easily

understood in the event that this happens.

Report on frequency and volume: Maps the times at which your

profiles are most visited and when you receive the most help

requests. Not only will it confirm your team’s performance at the

most critical times, but it will also help you request more

resources for your team, when overloaded.

You can and must create more than one type of report so you

can cross reference data to best understand your environment.

Reports focused on products/problems, for example, offer

feedback for improvement and insight for innovation. But

reports about a specific problem may offer a broader view of the

reasons for complaints and suggest an alternative solution.


























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In all cases, advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office, especially Excel, is extremely important in order to compare report data. There are tools that produce standard reports, but not necessarily reports that are customized to your needs. However, they will certainly allow data extraction in .csv or .xls format, both of which can be opened in Excel so you can transform data into relevant, useful and convincing information.

5. Define Keywords

Take note! TEST THE KEY WORDS THAT YOU SEARCH FOR. It is important to define keywords to be used when searching for mentions in social media. Use terms such as company name, products, services, etc. However monitoring

competitors and the market does not make much sense if you are focusing on issues related to social customer service.

We recommend you study and test Twitter search syntax to get

used to it: http://twitter.com/#!/search-home. Many companies

have common names and searches can get semantically difficult,

so understanding search mechanisms is important to eliminate

junk and optimize search items and analysis time.

Another important matter is that some terms may be strategic to

your company. If one of your goals is responding proactively,

brainstorm all the keywords that relate to your business with

your team. Monitoring them may help you start conversations

that generate business or simply surprise your customer with a

comment and spur an interaction.

























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Other tools that may help you understand the universe of

keywords involving your business, market and competition are

Google Insights for search1 and Google AdWords Keyword Tool2.

6. Influencers

Take note! YOU NEED TO RESPOND TO EVERYONE EQUALLY IN

SOCIAL MEDIA. IGNORING CERTAIN PROFILES CAN HAVE A

VERY DAMAGING IMPACT IN SOCIAL MEDIA

At this point you should build a list of influencers, social hubs and

celebrities who use or discuss your brand. This list will be

dynamic, updated as you interact with your audiences. Each

contact with the customer is an opportunity to make a positive

impact in a network so work hard to respond equally to

everyone, but pay special attention to influencers, as their power

to impact your brand is much more significant. Approach them

and start to build a relationship. Invite them to events for

example. Be very attentive to their needs. Just like a complaint, a

recommendation from an influencer reaches far more people.

1http://www.google.com/insights/search/?hl=en-US

2https://adwords.google.com.br/o/Targeting/Explorer?__c=1000000000&__u=1000000000&ideaReque

stType=KEYWORD_IDEAS&hl=en_US

























http://www.google.com/insights/search/?hl=en-US

https://adwords.google.com.br/o/Targeting/Explorer?__c=1000000000&__u=1000000000&ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_IDEAS&hl=en_US

https://adwords.google.com.br/o/Targeting/Explorer?__c=1000000000&__u=1000000000&ideaRequestType=KEYWORD_IDEAS&hl=en_US


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Chapter 3 | Execution

“Look to interact as much

as possible within the

social hub where it

started”

........................................................

At this point you are ready to start executing on the plan you

have put in place. As work gets underway you will notice that

your plan is very dynamic. This is good. As you start working on a

daily basis you will realize what works best and will make

adjustments. This is always the best way to learn and improve.

1. Monitor, analyze and interact in real time

Take note! FOR CERTAIN COMPANIES, IT MAKES SENSE TO

MONITOR AND INTERACT 24 HOURS PER DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK.

As previously stated the customer has different expectations of

your turnaround time in social media. He or she does not want to

wait. But this is not the only consideration. If your interaction is

not in real time, you will miss the opportunity to bring a swift

end to a complaint and transform an experience from negative

to positive, especially on Twitter.






























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Set yourself a response target in minutes. Some organizations

commit to responding within 30 minutes, for example.

Connecting with the customer quickly, makes him or her feel

valued and means you have time to solve the problem or to

gather information to provide the best response.

Each company has characteristics that compose its DNA. For

many companies, especially service companies, it makes a lot of

sense to monitor social media and interact 24/7. Actually, we

believe this is ideal. However, it is not a rule. So take into

consideration what your company brand stands for, what your

product delivers, and be there at the right times for your

customer.

2. Quick responses

Take note! THE FOCAL POINTS OF EACH DEPARTMENT WITHIN

A COMPANY SHOULD ONLY BE USED FOR MORE COMPLEX

ANSWERS.

Each member of the team should have an information guide

about your products and services (just like in customer service

centers -- it can even be the same guide). This will help them

respond faster to commonly asked questions.

Try to keep interaction on the social media hub where it was

initiated. Only move to another communication mechanism such

as the telephone if you need to enter into a more detailed

conversation or exchange private information.


























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Use your contacts with assigned product or service managers in

the company for more complex responses and demand quick

turnaround from them.

3. Hands on

Take note! DESPITE HAVING EACH TEAM MEMBER

RESPONSIBLE FOR ONE TASK WITHIN THE OPERATION, THEY

ALL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS AS A WHOLE.

Everybody is ready but who does what? How are responsibilities

divided up between the team? It depends on the platforms to be

monitored. If you intend to cover Facebook and Twitter, it is

necessary to organize the team and divide tasks (the manager

should help here). This means that while one person takes care

of direct messages and occasionally makes necessary phone

calls, another should monitor public mentions and the wall on

Facebook. While executing on their role, it is crucial that

everyone on the team keeps the big picture in mind: the focus on

the customer.




























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4. Keep an interactive database

Take note! GROUP THE HISTORY OF

YOUR INTERACTIONS IN SOCIAL MEDIA.

Backup all conversations from day one

so you have the history of every

interaction with each user. If your social

media monitoring tool does this

automatically and compiles a history of interactions, that is even

better. With this feature, each conversation is clearly visible

which is particularly useful when you have a new team member.

The ability to cite previous interactions during new interactions

with the same customer demonstrates professionalism and a

genuine interest in their needs.

Consider integrating this database with your CRM software in the

future, so that access to information is quicker.

5. Look for opportunities to be proactive

Take note! A SOCIAL CUSTOMER SERVICE TEAM SHOULD NOT

JUST BE FOCUSED ON COMPLAINTS.

Responding to complaints is going to be your main activity, but it

is possible to find opportunities to actively promote products

and services, as long as the context is relevant to the

conversations. Do not send sales messages if there is no ongoing

conversation or appropriate context for it.
































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6. Keep updating your influencer list

Take note! DO NOT TRY TO INTERACT WITH THOSE WHO DO

NOT WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU.

Your interactions will show that the most famous are not

necessarily the ones who impact the most people. Mapping local

influencers is important, as well as mapping out trolls (those

people who enjoy being detractors on the internet). But keep

conversations only to people who really want to have one. Never

respond to trolls who want to have fun. The social media

manager’s instinct plays an important role in this situation.


























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Chapter 4 | Crisis Management

“During a crisis, involve all of the

hierarchical levels above you”

...................................................................................................

The customer has experienced a major problem. Now what? It

is important to keep calm and interact.

Interact. People want to hear an official voice. Be transparent

and polite, offer first-hand information. When the company’s

position is authentic and objective the community will hear your

voice and ignore the naysayers.

Involve. Demonstrate internally how a specific problem is

impacting opinion in social media. Involve the other hierarchical






























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levels, so that they at least know about the situation.

Monitor. Give preference to people who are talking directly to

you, but keep your eye on the general search for mentions that

are not directed to your official profile/page in order to detect

important conversations that don’t mention your name. Again,

keep in mind that you will need a good social media monitoring

tool in order to be effective.

[+] MORE ON THIS

Do you know how to manage a crisis in social media?


























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Chapter 5 | Management

“The positioning of a

company in social media

should mirror its actual

positioning”

.........................................................

All right. You have your social media customer service team up

and running and everything works fine. Now comes the easy

part, right? Wrong. Since social media conversations are

notoriously unpredictable, you have to keep adapting to make

sure you are on top of quality at all times.

1. Track the volume of interactions

Do you need to add resources during your busy hours. You

should project your growth curve to anticipate team expansion

and avoid losing quality of interactions.

2. Pay attention to trends

Is Tumblr the new thing? Is Pinterest over? What’s the newest

meme?

Participate in discussions, events and lectures about the market

and keep your eyes open for trends. This can turn into a

competitive advantage.






























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Get to know other social media managers, so you can exchange

information. Good ideas always come from such contacts.

3. Map and recommend improvements

People will point out problems and give interesting feedback, but

in general companies don’t know what to do with it. It is part of

your role to determine how to solve problems and make new

recommendations to management. While showing respect for

the opinions of others and letting them know their contribution

is valuable, it is important to push for necessary changes in your

social customer service program so that you learn and improve in

the quest for excellence.


























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Conclusion

“Companies that don't interact in social

media will not innovate”

...................................................................................................

Once you start interacting in social media, you should follow the

company guidelines for interaction but you can also innovate as

unanticipated events occur in social media networks. See this as

an opportunity.

From a communication point of view this hyper-connected forum

is no place for broadcasting. Company profiles that only

broadcast information without engaging in conversations do not

succeed in this environment.






























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People are the ones who decide what your product is for. If you

are not an active member of social media, and don’t listen to

what people have to say, you are at great risk that they will

speak for you, possibly distorting the facts and damaging your

reputation.

People want to hear a human voice and feel your genuine

interest in solving their problems, clarifying questions and

responding. That is why it is necessary to go beyond platforms,

to care about the essence of every business: people. Each

connection is important, because it creates a relationship that

lasts and it positively spreads throughout the network. By

following the above steps and guidelines you can ensure the

success of your social customer service programs.


























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Hints and Tips

It is important to keep some points in mind when it comes to

communicating in social media:

1. Social media require honesty and transparency, from both

people and companies.

2. They also require customized responses. Due to this, your

team must have the freedom to improvise and unlimited access

to internet.

3. Communicate with everyone in the same way. There is no

need for formalities. It is important to be casual, as we are all

people. If a customer uses abbreviations and smiles, respond in

the same way.

4. The world of social networks is one of trial and error. So, if

something doesn’t work, that’s alright. Accepting mistakes and

correcting problems are great steps towards maintaining your

reputation.

5. Respect customers, prospects and others. Don’t insist on

interactions if the other party is not interested. If you approach

someone once and you are ignored or get no reply, move on.

6. Finally, do not allow yourself to get dragged into an

argument. This doesn’t sit well in the social media environment.


























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Next steps...

Are you starting out in social customer service

and do you need a social media monitoring and

management platform?

Why don't you try out Scup for 30 days?

http://bit.ly/PAbDoy

Also visit our social customer service site

http://ideas.scup.com/en/socialmediacustomer/



























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How to start a customer service operation in social media - Scup Ebook

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