A consultant contacted me today asking for guidance.  He is preparing a presentation on customer service and wondered if I would share some ideas on how social media supports customer service.

As a warm-up exercise, I’m sharing a few thoughts with the New Media Photographer community.  Feel free to add your ideas in the comments.

I believe the best customer service begins with great communication.  So, the question is, how can social media improve communication between a company and its customers?

Unfortunately, most companies don’t have the resources to staff a customer service center 24 hours a day.  This is where social media plays an important role. It can support customers around the clock at little or no cost.

What makes social media social is the ability to respond to the content creator.  This communication develops an extended community that supports customers.  Providing platforms, such as a forum where customers can ask and answer questions, is an excellent customer service resource.

Videos uploaded to YouTube are a good start when thinking about customer service. The best customer service videos respond to common questions, such as a DIY installation, product use or repairs.  Service companies should offer videos explaining what to expect when hiring their company

A wedding photographer, for example, could create a video explaining her workflow and what to expect before, during and after the wedding.

I’m amazed at the number of businesses that think customers intuitively know how to best use a product or service.  The more information a customer is armed with, the more satisfied he will be. This is assuming the company follows through with its end of the bargain.

Monitoring the social conversation is extremely valuable to a company.  The information provided by the public, if acted upon, can lead to improving products and customer service.

News travels fast in the social media. If a problem starts to develop, a solution or response can be made before the issue gains traction.

Phone conversations take time. A quick tweet can direct a customer to a solution.  Blogs and Facebook pages are excellent resources for customers to keep up on the latest company information.

Social media is a form of communication.  Quality communication through the social web will serve the customer as well as the company.