The role of people working customer service jobs is to help customers how they want to be helped. Customer service jobs demand that workers understand social media, which has become a critical channel for communicating with buyers. Author Frank Eliason explains, “Companies started to help customers in this space because customers are yelling” on Facebook, Twitter and other platforms.
According to the Sacramento Business Journal, travel agents, sports franchises, restaurants and schools alike are all shifting to social media to improve their customer service. Travel Agent Christy Jourdan recalls how a sudden flight schedule change was fixed by sending out a tweet that said: “Honeymooners + 20-hour layover = bad honeymoon. Please help me.” She said contacting airlines by phone couldn’t help her, but miraculously, she got the answer she needed within minutes using social media. She added that she also uses social media to monitor for earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions that may affect her clients’ travel plans.
HDTV provider SureWest Communications has three customer service jobs dedicated solely to social media. The company makes sure that all complaints or posts about them are responded to. Each day, the reps post 15-50 unique tweets to keep the overall brand tone positive. Similarly, the Citizen Hotel responds to 6-12 inquiries via social media because consumers feel more comfortable with that channel than with picking up a phone. The Sacramento Kings’ media team responds to posts from 9 am to 9 pm every day. Lotus Child Montessori school uses social media to attract new parents by posting pictures and having teachers share about their activities. Michal Freeman of Jimboy’s Tacos explains, “Customers today want it now. They want it their way.”
So if you plan to get one of the customer service jobs up for grabs, it’s best if you learn as much as you can about social media forums like Twitter and Facebook so you have the skills you need to remain competitive in the marketplace.