Author: Carolyn Blunt & Martin Hill-Wilson
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Reviewer: Claire Shiels, chartered marketer & PR consultant
Some studies suggest that for every complaint made by a customer, another 25 prefer not to complain and simply take their business elsewhere. In order to avoid this scenario, say Blunt and Hill-Wilson in Developing Effective Social Customer Service, customers must be given the choice of how they want to interact regarding a positive or negative experience.
Inevitably of course, we’re talking mainly about receiving negative feedback – those problems encountered by customers who have the potential to provide an excellent opportunity for building a company’s reputation online – or, just as easily, destroying it.
Particular focus is given to those managers and executives who have so far been shielded from interacting with customers in an online environment, with one customer experience director warning: ‘If your customers haven’t got a place where they can say what they want to say then they will create it.’
The most common errors made by companies are pointed out, including using the channel simply as a means to sell and promote, and attempting to keep control of dialogue by editing or controlling comments made by customers.
Predictably, there is a call for senior managers to buy into and proactively encourage all related departments (sales, marketing, customer service) to work together to provide the best customer service experience possible.
Frustratingly, however little of the content relates itself directly to the context of B2B although many important guidelines can be absorbed and translated into a B2B environment.
This book is an excellent introduction for those companies seeking to develop an online customer service resource through social media platforms and forums. It highlights the major minefields and provides workable, practical advice for organisations operating in any industry.
Star Rating: 4/5
