Customer service moved online a long time ago, shortly after the internet took off. FAQs, email forms and moderated forums sprang up left and right to tackle the myriad problems customers encountered on a daily basis. People were happy with this. Most small questions could be answered with a quick visit to a company website rather than waiting on hold for half an hour for a 30 second conversation with a representative.

With the age of the social internet upon us, companies are finding new ways to reach out and connect with customers – and customers are using these same channels to touch them back. The onset of constant connectivity and ubiquitous smart phone use has allowed consumers to turn to social media for service requests, complaint resolution and sometimes even praise.

Some things to keep in mind when implementing social customer service:

• It is about empowering users by giving them more options and opportunities to express their concerns, thoughts, and feelings.
• It is not a place to try and squash loud customers. As long as they are not obscene or offensive, people must be allowed their opinions in posts and replies.
• Rapid responses and open access to information are paramount to customer service via social media. Being up-front and honest goes a long way – especially when paired with an apology for any inconveniences caused.

Unresolved complaints in public spaces can quickly snowball into a public relations nightmare, with other detractors throwing in their two cents by sharing their own ‘horror stories.’ Any company with a Twitter, Facebook or other social media account needs to have plans in place to swiftly and efficiently deal with any grumbles and grievances that arise. Those who don’t are doomed to harsh criticism and negative reviews for the whole world to see.