05Dec

Social Media’s Role in Customer Service

We’ve previously discussed the importance of excelling at customer service because it sets you apart from your competitor. Nowadays, customer service extends further than just your physical dealership. It now encompasses online service, most popularly social media.  In fact, we even mentioned in a past post that 4 out of 10 U.S. adults have expressed their feelings about companies or products on social media.

Social media has become the go to spot for customer service nowadays, especially if a customer is struggling to reach someone in the more traditional way. It’s also a good way for other customers to see that you’re addressing any issues customers may have and are easily accessible to them.

An impressive example of a company going above and beyond for their customer is that of the Gaylord Opryland hotel in Nashville, Tennessee.

The hotel positions itself as an “extraordinary experience” that “partners with you to host unforgettable meetings, conferences, weddings and receptions.” The staff at the hotel proved this isn’t just great marketing language, it’s what they live by.

Christina McMenemy, a regular customer of Gaylord Opry’s that had been staying there for years, took notice of the soothing and spa-like music that played every time she entered the room. She found that the source of her soothing music that made her feel relaxed all weekend came from her dual clock radio. She inquired about where she could get one, however the staff at the time was unable to give her an exact location.

Christina wrote down the model number and started her search for the clock radio, but was unfortunately unsuccessful. When she returned the following year, she noticed the clock had been replaced with a newer model that it still played the relaxing spa music she loved so much. Christina was met with the same response when she inquired about where she could get one.

However, upon her third annual visit to the hotel she had a much different experience. This time she decided to turn to Twitter and ask the hotel where she might be able to find one.

Her tweet was met with the following response:

Christina, having already researched this model responded with:

Christina didn’t receive a response after this tweet, but was met with an incredible surprise when she returned to her room that evening.

When she walked into her room she noticed not one, but two clock radios on her side table. Next to one of them was an envelope with her name on it. The note read:

Christina, Thank you for following us on Twitter. We hope you enjoy these spa sounds at home. If you need anything, please let us know. Sincerely, Elizabeth, Nick & Tori.

The hotel had taken notice of how much she enjoyed this clock radio and after conversing on Twitter decided to take action to make the ultimate customer service move. Of course, Christina was ecstatic, posting on social media and her blog. The story has now made its rounds through some of the biggest media outlets such as Entrepreneur and Huffington Post.

Takeaway

Not only did they make a customer extraordinarily happy, but the customer also went and shared the story with the world. This was great free PR for the company and demonstrates how when a company commits to carrying out superior customer service the actions pay off.

A few ways in which your dealership could apply this include:

  • Implementing a Live Chat option on your website and directing customers to that for any quick questions they need answered
  • Highlighting your Live Chat capabilities on social media to direct customers to that as a customer service option
  • Host a Twitter Chat with a designated timeframe where your customers can ask any questions they may have

Additionally, having a presence on social media can be a game changer for your business. Monitoring and responding to customer comments and inquiries can make a notable difference in customer satisfaction. The hotel enabled Christina to take a little piece of the unique experience home with her…literally.

If you’re interested in building your social media channels, contact us to hear about our GoSocial services and get a free social media analysis. You can reach us at marketing@commercialwebservices.com with any questions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelsey Fritz
Kelsey is the Marketing Coordinator at Commercial Web Services where she monitors the latest marketing advancements to better educate dealers on marketing trends that can further their business goals.

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