Your people in Sales and Service hold a no-cost key to creating more business.
In addition to helping customers online – whether it’s through instant chat sessions, email generated through your website or social media (such as Facebook and Twitter) – Service and Sales can help build loyalty and revenue by:
1. Maintaining your position as an expert in your industry. Give customers links to helpful articles and industry news. You can plug them in following a signature block in email, or forward them to IT to have them posted on the company website. For social media, refer to the authority and include the link on a blog or post.
2. Connecting customers to one other. Your customers have some things in common just based on the fact that they use the same products and services. So they likely can share advice and insight. Give them an online forum such as Facebook groups and company message boards as an outlet. Soon, they’ll likely recommend more of your products and services to each other.
3. Getting more feedback. Customers appreciate companies that give them a voice in major decisions. So don’t just ask customers to rate how you’ve done. Reach out to them with questions on what you might do.
4. Giving customers incentives to spread the word. Loyal customers will bring more business to you. They might need some encouragement, though. Offer incentives if they refer new “fans,” “followers” or actual, buying customers to you.
5. Using negative feedback to your advantage. You don’t want to ignore upset customers who air grievances online. Sales and Service can offer to take the issue off line and resolve it. If it’s resolved, they’ll likely change their tune.
For more, go to Social Media Today.
