December 16, 2020 
Every day, more and more people are using social media, meaning there is a huge possibility that a large percentage of your new and existing customers are part of these. This means online stores and businesses must ensure they start using their social media pages for customer service.
Facebook has more than 2 billion users with 1.3 billion of these using Facebook Messenger to reach out to their friends and family, and now potentially your business.
Social media is a great place for online stores to connect with their customers and improve their customers’ experience.
Also, with the possibility of integrating several social media customer service and marketing tools like chatbots which can significantly improve user experience and boost sales, social media represents one of the best ways online stores can improve customer service.
There are several reasons why online stores should use social media for their customer service, and this blog will show some of the main reasons.
Reasons Why Online Stores Should Use Social Media For Customer Service
The tendency to always be available
Social media platforms do not have closing times, meaning online stores that have social media pages set themselves up to always be available.
Availability is very important in customer service. With the use of chatbot marketing, online stores can take availability to the next level. Chatbots do not need any form of break and can be available 24/7 to engage your customers.
This means no matter the time a user contacts your business, they will find you readily available to receive their complaints and requests.
They Become Easily Accessible
Social media is used by many. Although it may not be completely right for some, every one of your customers may use at least one social media platform to connect with people.
Online stores that use social media make themselves easily accessible to their customers.
Customers prefer using social media to reach out rather than having to fill out survey forms or scouting through e-commerce websites in search of a solution to their problems.
Social media makes it easier for customers to access an online store. A study has shown that up to 70% of customers prefer to contact a business via social media than via calls or emails.
Another study reveals that only customers who are above 45 are more likely to use emails more than social media. This means social media gives online stores access to a whole generation of customers.
Social Media Customer Service Automation Tools
Another reason why online stores should use social media for customer service is that many tools can be used to automate the whole process and ensure a seamless experience for their customers.
Presently, some tools can completely take control of an online store’s customer service. Tools like chatbots can be integrated into social media and help a business provide their customers with a seamless experience.
Chatbots like Zebrabuzz can simulate conversation in real-time and help sell products. They can also follow-up on customers, engage them, provide tailored services, among many others. Another reason why automation tools are necessary is that as you deal with a large number of people on social media, you cannot possibly satisfy them on your own, but with Zebrabuzz, you can.
You can also automatically reply comments on your social media page. For instance, suppose you have many comments and messages, the Zebrabuzz Facebook auto commenter or autoresponder tool can help you reply to each of them automatically.
There are several different kinds of reply types so you can reply to each message differently based on the query of the customer. You can also reply privately or publicly.
Convenient for them
Another reason why online stores should use social media for customer service is that they make it easy for customers to contact them on their terms.
By being on social media, you ensure customers can contact you when they want to and not when they have to. For instance, some surveys usually have expiration time meaning customers who do not fill them out at the given period may miss out. This should not be. Part of customer service os ensuring your customers can reach you when they want to or feel comfortable doing it.
As most of your customers use social media for leisure and enjoyment, being there means even when they are having fun, they can still reach you.
Social media ensures customers of online stores can reach out without going out of their way. They can reach out while working, having their leisure time, browsing the internet – any time at all.
Ability to express self better
Forms and surveys usually constrain the thought, complaints, and enquiries of customers. We have seen times without numbers that many forms do not completely encapsulate the topic customer wants to reach out on
However, social media eliminates this barrier in that customers can express their thoughts, queries, reactions, questions, and enquiries better without any constraints. This allows them to express themselves better and in a manner that will ensure you can easily fix the problem.
When customers use forms, their complaints and queries are usually classified under one heading, and a “one size fits all” type of response is usually made with the hope it can fix the problem. But it may not.
As customers will Express themselves just like they do when chatting with their loved ones, they will be understood better, and problems are more likely to be solved.
Easy and Quick Feedback Mechanism
Social media is also a great feedback mechanism for online stores. Customer service includes garnering the feedback of your customers and working on them to improve their experience.
Feedbacks are what your customers think of your services, and with social media, it is easy to get them. Customers can send private messages, comment on your social media page and so on if they want to drop a review.
You will easily get these feedbacks, and it is also easy to follow-up on each feedback with artificial intelligence chatbots like Zebrabuzz. When online stores use forms, there will not be a personalised way of dealing with feedback.
With social media, online stores can deal with each customer’s feedback or review can be personally, and this will improve customer service as well as business image in the long run.
