Business Engagement in Social Media, is it Necessary?

Author: Kat Fitzsimmons+

More and more people look to search engines, social media, product reviews and other technologies to make informed purchasing decisions. As consumers, we no longer have to rely on slick marketing to influence our choices. As business owners, social media and reviews, are now a part of the "new age" of marketing and customer service we live in.

Why is it important to respond to reviews and engage in social media? A review is the beginning of a dialogue. Increasingly, customers are sharing their experiences online. If a business truly wants to understand how customers perceive their products & services, and influence perceptions in the market place, engaging in social media & reviews, is a must.

A company can learn from listening to customer reviews. Often a common complaint or common compliment will be revealed. This enables management to take appropriate action or reward departments that are doing a good job.

Reviews can be seen as part of customer service. By providing responses to reviews, the customer will experience the same kind of prompt and engaging attention often promised when beginning the customer journey. This is especially true for reviews that include an element of complaining. Responding to this type of review shows that your company cares. Not only will you demonstrate that your company cares about the customer but that you care about how your company is being perceived. Responding to the customer voice is a part of customer service and maintaining your company reputation. 

Managing social media and customer reviews can be a daunting task. Fortunately, there are tools available to help with this. Review and social media alerts can be set up through 3rd part tools. These alerts enable the business representative to respond or engage with online comments almost immediately. If you're interested in setting your business up with social media management tools, please contact us.