Promoting Social CRM

For brands looking to improve their customer relationship management, customer communities can be an effective part of a planned multi-channel strategy. For many brands their customers are now the first line in customer relationship management. Consumers are increasingly likely to search for solutions online if they have an issue with a product or service, and many end up finding the answer not from a company representative, but from a fellow consumer who has encountered the same issue in the past.

Although brands cannot and should not manipulate this process, they can provide a place where consumers can come together to form a community, which will become their first port of call if they have a problem to solve or experience to share. Rather than phone the customer service team and answer a list of question to find the solution, customers can go to the community for assistance, helping to alleviate the pressure on call centres. The community becomes part of the customer services mix alongside telephone, email and face-to-face support.

Of course, not all brands will want or need to set up their own customer community. Some may find the community pages on Facebook more than enough for their customers needs. But as their fan base expands, they may want to deepen levels of brand/consumer engagement which Facebook pages currently limit.

What social CRM offers is an opportunity for brands to engage customers over social media, and respond to criticism and complaints head on, rather than burying their heads in the sand. Most brands realise that fans and haters will be there even if the brand is absent. In fact, a failure to engage can alienate the brand from consumers and help foster negative sentiment. Providing a customer community is one way for brands to show that they support and appreciate this contribution.

Other trends we’re seeing at the moment include brands starting to establish social hubs - communities where fans can engage with each other rather than the brand, and talk about interests rather than service or product issues. Brands are also seeking to engage employees and promote company ethos by turning the company intranet, previously used as a knowledge base, into a more social experience.

If you are considering setting up a customer community we have come up with a list of key things to consider, which you can find here. www.huzutech.com