Using X (Formerly Twitter) as a Customer Support Channel

Why X shines as a customer support channel

X adds a new dimension to customer service, allowing companies to reduce customer wait times without incurring additional call center expenses. At the same time, it helps businesses increase brand awareness and strengthen their reputation. 

Marshal Davis, president of Ascendly Marketing, has helped many clients use X for customer service and places a high value on X’s unique ability to connect. “With a third of American X users holding college degrees and earning over $75K annually, the platform is a goldmine for connecting with B2B decision-makers,” Davis said. “Brands can use this highly engaged audience to provide valuable support, gather feedback and nurture relationships in the public square.”

Here are some reasons X shines as a support tool: 

• X enables real-time support. Unlike traditional channels, businesses can answer X queries and respond to X mentions quickly, if not instantly, to provide truly excellent customer service.
• X is a public environment. Your customer support on X is highly visible, helping you strengthen your company’s reputation by showcasing your thoughtful responses and immediate solutions. Potential customers can see that you aim for customer delight, not just a satisfactory customer experience.
• Customers welcome X as a support channel. Today’s customers want fast and easy support, not long hold times and endless email loops. X allows you to deliver support immediately, thereby improving outcomes and boosting customer happiness. Providing customer support how and where customers want it is the first step in driving customer satisfaction. “Even customers initially skeptical of social customer service have provided positive feedback after seeing how quickly and easily their issues appear to be resolved,” Davis noted.
• X is a proactive customer support channel. With inbound customer support channels such as web forms, phone and email, you must wait for customers to contact you about their issues. With X, you can be proactive. Monitor your X account to find customers who had a less-than-perfect experience. To provide next-level customer support, proactively reach out to them to resolve their issue. This is also likely to boost customer loyalty and reduce negative online reviews.
• X helps you save money. Having customer service reps use X to respond to customer inquiries is less expensive than outsourcing customer service to a call center. Using X’s response function is smart because all exchanges are public and indexed. Other customers who are seeking information might find the answers to their questions on your X profile page and thus may not need to contact you at all.
• X is an efficient customer service channel. X helps you respond to customers’ questions more efficiently. Because X limits messages to 280 characters, customers must be relatively concise when sharing their issues. Precise information leads to more efficient customer service that solves more problems quickly. 

How to use X as a customer support tool

Follow these best practices when you’re using X as a customer support tool. 

Solve customers’ problems quickly with X.

Try to be as prompt as possible when you respond to customers on X. If you can’t address their concern immediately, let them know right away that you’ve received the message and are looking into it. When you have the answer, share it as soon as possible.

If you can’t provide the answer on X because it’s too complex or includes private information about the customer’s account, give the customer details on how to contact you or direct them to a support document on your website.

Track conversations on X to improve customer support.

To provide impeccable customer service on X, track all customer conversations and brand mentions. Keep information such as the customer’s name, their username and the product they’re discussing. Save all comments to get an idea of what people think of your business and track industry trends.  

Monitoring tools can help you do this by emailing you when information about your business or products is published online. By tracking trends, you can refine your customer support and increase overall customer satisfaction.

Be available to answer queries on X.

If you decide to use X for customer support, ensure that your team is available to respond to customers. Availability is crucial on X. If you set up an account and don’t use it, public perception will likely be negative. 

Appoint team members to manage your X account on weeknights and weekends, or post customer service hours in your X bio to set expectations.

Use X to build your brand reputation.

In addition to providing a robust customer support platform, X can help you build and protect your brand reputation online. By having your X customer service reps respond to customer service inquiries with your brand voice, you reinforce and strengthen your brand. For example, a fun brand could incorporate emojis and humor into its customer service interactions on X. Customer support, an essential part of your branding, should aim for maximum customer happiness.

Create and publicize a dedicated support handle on X.

Creating a dedicated support handle, such as “My Business Help,” on X is a great way to help your customers reach out to you. Support handles clearly show customers where to go for assistance and have the unspoken promise of a dedicated support rep ready to resolve customer issues. Be sure to let customers know about your dedicated support handle by promoting it via your primary X account and your other social platforms. 

Proactively answer frequently asked questions on X.

If you notice that many people have the same issue, proactively post the solution. This makes it quicker and easier for customers to resolve their issues while reducing the number of customer service interactions. Plus, your service reps will be free to pursue proactive customer support and answer more questions. 

Speak like a human on X.

Although you can use some prepared responses to typical questions, your X customer service reps should type in a conversational tone. They should be warm, informative and sincere. Don’t be afraid to make the interaction interesting and fun. Social media is a more relaxed channel than email or even chat.

Respond to customers the same way they initiated the communication.

If a customer direct-messages (DMs) your customer support handle, reply via that channel. If they reach out on your public X feed, answer them there. If you’re responding in a public forum, be careful not to compromise personal information. If sensitive information is required, take it to a private DM.

Move difficult, specific or involved conversations off the platform.

Some customer issues have quick and happy resolutions; others require in-depth conversation and customer-specific research. Complicated conversations are better held one-on-one with customers. First, customer data and details should always be kept private. Additionally, if you’re dealing with a challenging customer, privacy is best. You may need to negotiate special concessions or even politely tell them to take their business elsewhere in the unusual situation where the customer isn’t worth your time.

When a private conversation is preferable to a public one, direct the customer to a specific rep’s email so they can resolve the problem.

Monitor customer service interactions on X for insights.

Like other social media platforms, X is an excellent channel for generating customer feedback. For example, frequently mentioned concerns are a red flag that specific issues must be fixed. Customer feedback can also lead to inspiration. For example, if customers ask for a product or feature you currently don’t offer, you may consider creating a new product or modifying an existing one to include that feature.

Update customers on current situations.

If an element of your business affects multiple customers — for example, if your website is down or inventory was delayed — issue updates via X posts to get ahead of the situation and control the narrative. State that you’re aware of the issue, and let customers know when it will be fixed. Utility companies frequently use this method if they experience an outage. They can let people know they’re aware of the outage, which customers it’s affecting and when it will be fixed. Customers will feel relieved and won’t be confused about what they’re experiencing. 

Brands that use X for customer support

Many reputable businesses use X to handle customer service queries. X’s direct-to-consumer capabilities are unparalleled, and influential brands are taking advantage of the platform’s versatility. Here are a few examples. 

Warby Parker 

Eyeglass brand Warby Parker is well known for its customer service. It has an X handle (@WarbyParkerHelp) that’s dedicated to responding to customer issues. If you scroll through the company’s feed, you’ll find messages from hundreds of real people testifying to the brand’s superb customer service. 

Providing real client testimonials is a smart and innovative way to leverage an X feed. Everyone can relate to the annoyance of being put on hold by a customer service department for hours. Warby Parker has eliminated this dread by utilizing its satisfied customer base. The message is especially powerful on X because you can click a profile and see that the poster is a real person, not an imaginary client fabricated for marketing purposes. 

Zappos 

Zappos is another popular retailer that uses X to communicate with customers. It’s known for responding to compliments and fielding various user questions. The company’s responses are always quick, helpful and tailored directly to the original message (as opposed to an automated response).

This approach showcases a more human element in the brand’s customer interactions. No one wants to feel like they’re expressing their concerns to a robot, and X is an amazing tool for bridging the gap between corporations and consumers. Modern shoppers are more brand-conscious than ever, and establishing yourself as a company that cares about people is a good technique to connect with your audience meaningfully. 

Adobe 

Design software company Adobe is another excellent example of a business that uses X to help customers. Users can ask specific questions about the software via X and receive a detailed solution directly from the Adobe Connect Help X account. 

Having trouble editing an image in Photoshop? Instead of spending hours trying to figure it out on YouTube, message Adobe on X with your questions, and the company will respond promptly. 

Customers rarely take the time to call customer service with these types of issues. Adobe’s move is smart because it prevents users from getting frustrated with the software and abandoning it or switching to a simpler competitor. It also helps build brand loyalty if customers feel you understand their problems and are willing to take the time to help. 

Bank of America

Anyone who has ever called a major bank for customer service is familiar with endless phone trees and long wait times. Bank of America allows customers to initiate customer service inquiries on its X account (@BofA_Help) to reduce wait times. 

Because banking involves sensitive information, Bank of America cautions its customers never to input their account numbers or Social Security numbers on X; it handles specific account inquiries via phone or email. However, more general questions can be answered on X. Bank of America also uses this account to send general announcements to customers, such as holiday greetings and notes of appreciation, along with its X customer service hours.

X is an excellent tool to add to your service strategies

X is an effective customer support tool that can save your business hours of fielding phone calls and answering questions via email. More importantly, it creates an instant connection with your customers and gives you a chance to show them — and everyone watching — how much you care about them.