Online Customer Service Training
Do you know where your name is on the web tonight?
Fully realizing the scope of your business’s online footprint is becoming a growing challenge as word of mouth fires like brain synapses over the Internet.
With more and more unbiased, open outlets for review and evaluation, it can become a full time job, if not borderline impossible, to monitor and respond to every opinion and complaint.
A recent New York Times article discusses this very issue and the challenges the new forum for commentary poses to all types of businesses. The article does offer some advice however, to both large and small business, in handling the new onslaught of public feedback.
Engaging with customers whenever possible is critical to try to address the problem before word is spread. However, since rarely does this luxury occur, search your business constantly to see what pops up and where. If you find several sites with regular mentions, make it a part of your routine to check those mediums as much as possible.
Another key aspect to handling issues is to respond to them. If someone posts a negative review or complaint, respond with an explanation and/or apology and try to right the wrong as much as possible publicly.
See your business from your customers’ vantage point. This is essential to understanding their perspective of your product and/or service, and consequently remedying the situation.
Scrutinize local search sights, not just the national, world wide ones, such as Yelp, Citysearch and Yahoo! Local. On practically every website guide, there is a portal to post– whatever you do, don’t ignore these.
Make sure you set Google alerts and harness other tools to stay abreast of the buzz on your company. You better know before, or at least exactly when everyone else does, since it’s harder to pick up the pieces after the fact.
A few other great pieces of wisdom:
- Claim your listing on local search sites. Give as much detail in your profile as possible
- Never respond negatively, even if your deeply offend, let it roll of your shoulders and make it right.
- Identify the influencers and begin a dialogue with them
Remember, there is a good side to the frenzy of web communication- Good reviews get sent around out there too, just another incentive to have excellent customer service.
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Tags: Online customer service, training for online customer service, training in online service, customer service online, customer service online communication.
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